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The rise of political extremism in Bulgaria - The political party “Ataka”
by: Igor Novaković
pp: 206
ISBN: 978-88-96951-33-0
Abstract
The aim of the thesis is to depict the phenomenon of the rise of the political extremism in Bulgaria after the year 2005, represented in the political party “Ataka”. The phenomenon itself is closely related to the appearance of populist discourses, after the victory of former tsar of Bulgaria, Simeon Sakskoburgotski, and his party at the Parliamentary elections in 2005.
Hence, the objects of the analysis are the specific conditions which allowed the appearance of the phenomenon, thus the presentation of the analytical profile of the party itself. More specifically, the research should provide an answer about the ideological positioning of the party and its relation to the phenomenon of populism. The research resulted in broad analyses of the characteristics of the party: the analyses of the party’s programme, inner structure and leadership and electorate. Also, the subject of analyses was its cooperation with the other parties on the domestic and international scene, in the context of self-identification of Ataka on the right-left political continuum.
The results showed that Ataka is a particular manifestation of the populist political logic, which is embodied within the extreme right political discourse. The causes of its appearance are various, but they can be sublimated under the label of the by-products of the Bulgarian transition.
Keywords
Populism, Political Extremism, Far Right Parties, Bulgarian Party System
Table of contents
Summary
Keywords
1. - Introduction
2. - Theoretical Framework
2.1 - Populism
2.1.1 - Populism in Eastern Europe
2.2 - Right wing political extremism
2.2.1 - Political extremism
2.2.2 - Extreme right in Western Europe – post material extreme right
3. - The rise of political extremism in Bulgaria – the political party “Ataka”
3.1 - Social and political background of the phenomenon
3.1.1 - Transition process in Bulgaria– the outcomes
3.1.2 - Bulgarian Ethnic Model – traits and consequences
3.1.3 - Rise of populism – Simeon Sakskoburgotski
3.1.4 - The influence of the media
3.2 - Programme of the political party “Ataka”
3.2.1 - 20 Principles
3.2.2 - Programme scheme
3.3 - Party Structure and Leadership
3.3.1 - The Structure
3.3.2 - The Leader
3.4 - Party’s Development 2005 – 2008
3.4.1 - Sources of the party and fragmentation
3.4.2 - Controversial communications
3.4.3 - Electoral terms
3.5 - Electorate of "Ataka"
3.6 - “Ataka” and the Bulgarian political scene
3.6.1 - “Ataka” in context of the change of the Bulgarian political scene
3.6.2 - Bipolar relations of Ataka with the other Bulgarian parties
3.7 - International cooperation of “Ataka”
3.7.1 - Profiles of the West European partners of „Ataka”
3.8 - Media images – daily newspaper Ataka; magazine Kapital
3.8.1 - First interval – October, 2006
3.8.2 - Second interval – January, 2006-December, 2007
3.8.3 - Third interval – October, 2007
3.8.4 - Discourse analysis
3.9 - “Ataka” in comparative perspective – the Serbian Radical Party
3.9.1 - Historical background
3.9.2 - Programme
3.9.3 - Party Structure and leadership
3.9.4 - Party’s development
4. CONCLUSION
5. Bibliographical references
APPENDIX
Ataka as a supporter of the new minority government of Bulgaria
APPENDIX I
APPENDIX II
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