Hardline

{{Short description|Inflexible stance on a political issue}} {{Other uses}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} In politics, '''hardline''' or '''hard-line''' is an adjective describing a stance on an issue that is inflexible and not subject to compromise. A '''hardliner''' is a person holding such views.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard-line |title = Definition of HARD-LINE| date=8 February 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/423370?redirectedFrom=hard+line#eid |title = Hard line, n. (And int.) and adj}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/hard-liner|title=the definition of hard-liner |website=www.dictionary.com |language=en|access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref> The stance is usually far from the centrist view.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hard-line |title = HARD LINE | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary}}</ref> People, policies, and laws can be considered hardline.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/us/politics/house-immigration-bills-dreamers-daca-family-separation.html|title=House Rejects Hard-Line Immigration Bill and Delays Vote on Compromise|work=The New York Times |date=21 June 2018 |access-date=12 September 2018|language=en|last1=Kaplan |first1=Thomas |last2=Fandos |first2=Nicholas }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-news-trump-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-20180709-story.html |title = President Trump nominates hard-line conservative Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court|website = New York Daily News| date=9 July 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/08/28/irans-hard-line-former-president-has-reemerged-twitter-hes-tweeting-about-serena-lebron/ |title = Iran's hard-line former president has reemerged on Twitter, and he's tweeting about Serena and LeBron|newspaper = The Washington Post}}</ref> A hardliner may be either a reactionary or a revolutionary. Synonyms for hardliner include diehard, hawk, extremist, radical, fanatic, or zealot. The term is almost always relative to the Overton window of a given time and place.

== Examples by country ==

=== France === The French government has taken a hardline stance against terrorism.<ref name=":02">{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2016/03/backlash-frances-hard-line-terror-160310080855190.html|title=Backlash: France's New Hard Line Against Terrorism|last1=Baux|first1=Victoria|website=Al Jazeera|access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref> France removed restrictions on raiding houses of suspected terrorists, although only five cases have been brought to court while over four thousand searches were conducted.<ref name=":02" /> Critics say the approach unfairly blames the Muslim community for radical extremists.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/struggling-to-prevent-terrorist-attacks-france-wants-to-reform-islam/2018/04/16/b81a20c6-1d67-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html|title=Struggling to prevent terrorist attacks, France wants to 'reform' Islam|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref>

=== Iran === Ebrahim Raisi, a Shi'ite cleric and prominent politician, ran as a hardline challenger to President Rouhani in 2017 and was Rouhani's main challenger.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/04/10/rouhani-gets-a-hardline-challenger-for-iranian-presidency/|title=Rouhani Gets a Hard-line Challenger for Iranian Presidency|last=Mellen|first=Ruby|website=Foreign Policy|language=en|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> He ran primarily on economic reforms and increasing distance with the West.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/iranians-cast-vote-presidential-election-170519052130053.html|title=Iranians vote in presidential election|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> He later ran again for President in 2021 and won the election by 61.9% of the popular vote {{efn|Including blank/invalid votes}}, succeeding Rouhani, who was term-limited.<ref>[https://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/1058999 Raisi -- Which institution was the most accurate predictor of election results?] tabnak.ir Retrieved 23 June 2021</ref>

=== Russia === After increased sanctions by Western countries, a poll from 2016 recorded that fifty-nine percent of Russians did not want their government to change its behavior.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://themoscowtimes.com/news/3-in-5-russians-believe-western-criticism-should-be-ignored-56081|title=3 in 5 Russians Believe Western Criticism 'Should Be Ignored'|access-date=13 October 2018|language=en}}</ref> The respondents felt that either Westerns wanted to harm Russia, hold it to standards they did not live up to, or were simply ignorant of Russian reasoning for actions.

=== United Kingdom === Brexit is a hardline position on relations with the European Union.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-44716815|title=Sturgeon: May must 'face down' Brexiteers|date=5 July 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=26 September 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/16/theresa-may-ready-cave-in-hardline-brexiters-customs-demands|title=Theresa May caves in to hardline Brexiters' demands|last1=Stewart|first1=Heather|last2=Sabbagh|first2=Dan|date=16 July 2018|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=26 September 2018}}</ref> The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union to preserve its sovereignty, which was dubbed Brexit.

=== United States === One of the more common issues that uses hardline or hardliner as a description is illegal immigration. For example, the United States House of Representatives had two bills in June 2018 about immigration to consider: the hardline and centrist options.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-gop-abruptly-scraps-planned-vote-on-troubled-immigration-bill-saying-it-could-pass-next-week/ |title = House GOP abruptly scraps planned vote on troubled immigration bill, saying it could pass next week|website = Fox News|date = 21 June 2018}}</ref> The House failed to pass the centrist bill.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/reversing-course-last-minute-trump-calls-house-gop-pass-immigration-n886916|title=House overwhelmingly rejects compromise immigration bill despite Trump support|work=NBC News|access-date=12 September 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> The House did not vote on the more extreme bill.

== Words implying hardline stances ==

=== Hawk === A hawk is someone who prefers an extreme or aggressive stance, typically on war.<ref>{{cite Merriam-Webster|hawk |access-date=2018-10-13}}</ref> However, the term ''hawk'' can also be used for other issues, like deficit spending. John McCain, an American senator and 2008 presidential nominee, was considered a war hawk due to his policies on the Middle East.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/john-mccain-hero-home-hawk-middle-east-180826065142381.html |title=John McCain: Hero at home, hawk in Middle East |work=Al Jazeera English |access-date=2018-10-13}}</ref> John R. Bolton, the national security advisor for President Trump, was also described as such.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/10/us/politics/john-bolton-national-security-adviser-trump.html |title=Trump Ousts John Bolton as National Security Adviser |last=Baker|first=Peter |date=2019-09-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |access-date=2020-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/23/john-bolton-hawk-itching-war |title=John Bolton is a hawk itching for war – and few are there to stop him |last=Shapiro|first=Walter |date=2018-03-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=2018-10-13}}</ref>

== Notes == {{notelist}}

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Political ideologies Category:Political theories Category:Political spectrum Category:Political terminology