Author ORCID Identifier
Serhii Kostiuchkov: ORCID: 0000-0003-1708-643X
Dmytro Garaschuk: ORCID: 0009-0004-9878-4110
Viacheslav Serhieiev: ORCID: 0000-0001-7859-0408
Kateryna Volkova: ORCID: 0009-0004-8581-9804
Abstract
This article explores the use of religious symbolism in the populist rhetoric of Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party and Hungary's Fidesz party. Both parties leverage historical and cultural narratives emphasizing Christianity's role in their national identities to legitimize their political agendas and mobilize support. The study examines how these populist leaders incorporate religious imagery and language to create a moral dichotomy between the “righteous people” and the “corrupt elite,” thereby deepening societal divisions and undermining democratic governance. In Poland, the PiS party's close alignment with the Catholic Church reinforces its nationalist and anti-EU stance, while in Hungary, Fidesz employs a broader range of Christian traditions to frame political conflicts as battles to protect Hungary’s Christian identity “from external threats”. The research highlights the profound implications of religiously infused populism for social cohesion and democratic institutions in post-socialist Eastern Europe. It also provides policy recommendations and strategies for mitigating the negative impacts of religious populism through media literacy, educational reforms, and community engagement.
Recommended Citation
Kostiuchkov, Serhii; Garaschuk, Dmytro; Serhieiev, Viacheslav; and Volkova, Kateryna
(2024)
"Religious Symbolism in Rhetoric of Right Populist Parties,"
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 44
:
Iss.
6
, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2538
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol44/iss6/5
Included in
Comparative Politics Commons, Eastern European Studies Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons, Social Media Commons, Sociology of Religion Commons, Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies Commons, Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons