Dynamics of Protests and Counterprotests Around Far-Right Politics

The article investigates the dynamics of protests and counterprotests around far-right politics. By drawing on the literature on contentious politics and the far right, we innovatively integrate the predominant actor-based approach with a more comprehensive perspective that encompasses far-right-related issues. Moreover, we expand the concept of counterprotest by including diverse forms of contentious reactions. Empirically, the analysis focuses on 778 events supporting or opposing far-right politics that occurred in Emilia-Romagna (Italy) from 2015 to 2023. The results show that the presence of far-right actors—particularly the extreme ones—increases the likelihood of experiencing a counterprotest, unlike the issues claimed or the violence of the tactic employed. Concerning the mobilization challenging far-right politics, the proximity to voting stimulates counterprotests only when the electoral result is uncertain. Conversely, the presence of a far-right party in the cabinet discourages tight countermobilization. The conclusions discuss the implications of these findings for the ongoing debate around the rise of far-right politics.