Democratic dissatisfaction, the far right, and party brand activation – lessons from the breakthrough (and downfall) of the Dutch New Social Contract

Far-right parties have been on the rise in European democracies. Their calls for a fundamental reorganization of democracy along nativist and people-centric lines have resonated with a growing share of voters who are dissatisfied with the political status quo. Other parties have predominantly responded to these developments by coopting the far right’s position and rhetoric – typically with no substantive electoral success. What else can parties do? This paper offers new insights in response to this question by investigating the breakthrough of Nieuw Sociaal Contract (New Social Contract, NSC) in the 2023 Dutch parliamentary election. Although NSC failed to sustain its success and missed re-election in 2025, its breakthrough offers broader lessons on how to respond to the far right. Drawing on evidence from the party’s manifestos and survey analysis, we show that NSC appealed to voters who are dissatisfied with the political status quo and supportive of stricter immigration policies – segments of the electorate inclined toward far-right parties – without reproducing far-right narratives. Instead, NSC integrated these positions within a platform highlighting technocratic trust and communitarian values rooted in Christian democratic thought. NSC’s breakthrough thus illustrates how dormant ideological traditions can be reactivated as constructive responses to contemporary public grievances.