Understanding Anti-Institutional Extremism: A Content Analysis of Dutch Telegram Channels

In many Northwest European countries, governments and intelligence services are warning about growing support for an anti-institutionalist extremist narrative that challenges the legitimacy and functioning of liberal democracy. This narrative, not directly tied to a specific political leaning, represents a contemporary form of anti-institutionalism, portraying the government as a ‘malevolent elite’ seeking to subjugate and exploit the population. The urgency of support for this narrative, along with violent incidents carried out in its name, is underscored by the rise in backing for Germany’s Reichsbürgerbewegung and self-proclaimed sovereignty movements in the Netherlands—both manifestations of the anti-institutional extremist narrative. Although literature across social-scientific disciplines has explored the roots and consequences of anti-institutionalism, a deeper understanding of the differences and similarities between the sub-narratives within anti-institutional extremism remains called for. Furthermore, these narratives are rarely examined from the perspective of citizens themselves, limiting insights into how why citizens embrace and support them, and the various ways they are expressed. Using a qualitative content analysis, we map the diversity of the anti-institutional extremist narrative by exploring how citizens support various sub-narratives on Telegram, a platform frequently used by various types of anti-institutionalist groups. After identifying and comparing the unique features of each sub-narrative, we analyze the varying ways in which these challenge liberal democracy. The insights provide a steppingstone to further understand anti-institutional extremism and how it can be dealt with.