Engaging with Extremes: The dilemma for companies & associations. The Internal Side of Public Affairs (15)

Alan Hardacre, PhD

Co-Founder Advocacy Academy, Advocacy Strategy

In last month’s European Parliament elections far-right groups gained unprecedented representation. For Businesses and Associations this poses a dilemma: how to engage with these new stakeholders. At a Best in Brussels event in June Mark Dober revealed that around 50% of survey respondents would NOT engage the far right. So, should you engage with them, or avoid them? Perhaps you should look to your Associations to do this? This post shares some thoughts on this situation: 

Why Engagement is Necessary

Influence on Policy-Making: Far-right parties now have a tangible impact on legislative processes. Ignoring these stakeholders could lead to unfavourable policies and means you have no influence.

Stakeholder Relationships: Effective stakeholder management requires working with all relevant parties, including those with differing views. You need insights into their priorities and concerns so you can navigate the political landscape and maintain a competitive edge.

Champion vs. Support: You can work with stakeholders to gather support and help influence positions without having them as your champion (which may be a step too far).

How to Engage: Some Considerations

Reputation Management: Engaging with far-right stakeholders carries reputational risks from corporate reputational risk to the local political risk that by associating with the far right you alienate support from other political groups.

Clear Ethical Guidelines: Establish clear ethical guidelines for engagement, ensuring that interactions with far-right parties do not compromise any of your positions and values. 

Focus on Common Interests: Identify areas of common interest, such as economic growth, job creation, and technological innovation. Building dialogue around these topics can lead to constructive engagement without endorsing controversial positions.

Public Communication: Maintain transparent communication with other stakeholders (and the public) about the nature and purpose of engagement with far-right stakeholders. This helps in managing public perception and mitigating potential backlash.

Engaging with these new stakeholders is out of your comfort zone and fraught with complexities. It is, however, necessary and important. The job of Public Affairs professionals is to find the right ways to engage stakeholders for their organization. In an increasingly polarized environment engaging across the aisle will become more and more of an advantage.

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! 👇