“So close, Yet so Far”: political skepticism and political faith in the radical and extreme-right

While radical-right and extreme-right parties often converge on themes such as nativism and authoritarianism, yet they diverge profoundly in their ideological and ontological relationship to democracy. This article proposes a political-philosophical framework for distinguishing between the two party families in Europe, addressing the longstanding definitional debate surrounding the ‘far-right’ label. Drawing on theories of ideology, politics and democracy, it conceptualizes three analytical dimensions: politics in action, democratic relationships, and empirical manifestations (in political communication, behavior, aesthetics and institutional responses). The aim is to capture the ontological gap between radical-right and extreme-right party families. The article shows that while radical-right parties operate within the democratic framework (albeit in exclusionary ways and sometimes illiberal) extreme-right parties fundamentally reject it overall, replacing politics with dogma and pluralism with monistic unity. This distinction reveals two qualitatively different modes of opposition to liberal democracy: one that contests it from within and one that seeks to totally overthrow it. By articulating clear ideological and philosophical boundaries, the article offers a conceptual foundation that enhances empirical research and comparative analysis, providing a more precise and normatively grounded understanding of right-wing politics in contemporary Europe.