Jérémie Poveda

THESIS PROPOSAL

The Far Right in Power: A Comparative Political Sociology at the Local Level of the National Front/National Rally, the Brothers of Italy, and the Norwegian Progress Party.

Thesis advisor: Alexandre Dézé (CEPEL)

The issue of how far-right parties exercise power is a fundamental political challenge facing contemporary democracies. This thesis project aims to use a comparative approach to study the localized exercise of power by three European far-right parties in three different municipalities: The National Front/National Rally in Fréjus, Brothers of Italy (FdI) in L’Aquila, and the Norwegian Progress Party (FrP) in Ålesund. The study will seek to answer four key questions: How did these parties come to power in these municipalities? Who exercises power on behalf of these parties? How is power exercised there? What is the assessment of these parties’ exercise of power in these municipalities? This study will draw upon, among other things, the tools of the sociology of political parties, the sociology of elites, and the sociology of public action.

Keywords: Power – Political parties – Far right – Local government – Comparative politics – France – Italy – Norway