Composite protests of the distrustful : when left and right mobilize together

Abstract

This article draws scholarly attention to composite protests of the distrustful – a recurring but so far under-researched type of political mobilization. We argue that the combination of three key characteristics is constitutive for this type of protest: the joint mobilization of (far-)right and left-wing groups, high levels of political distrust among its participants and a propensity for conspiracy narratives. We show how such protests reoccur across different issue areas in Southern and Western Europe since at least 2014. We call for more detailed scholarly engagement with this phenomenon not only due to its growing presence but also due to its potentially wide-ranging societal and political consequences, including the normalization of far-right discourses and ideas. As such, we need a better understanding of the conditions that facilitate composite protests of the distrustful and the impacts they may have. This, we contend, is fundamental to understanding current transformations of European political conflicts and protests and to shed light on key contemporary developments, such as challenges to liberal democracy.