Refugee discourse of the Victory Party: a critical discourse analysis of welfare chauvinism

Introduction Türkiye hosts millions of Syrians under temporary protection, a context that has intensified the politicization of welfare distribution along ethno-national lines. This study examines the refugee-related discourse of the Victory Party (Zafer Partisi, ZP) within the framework of welfare chauvinism and investigates how the party constructs and mobilizes exclusionary claims in a non-Western political context. Methods The study employs critical discourse analysis to examine 23 texts produced between August 2021 and early 2025, including party documents, press releases, social media posts, campaign speeches, and television interviews. The analysis is organized around a three-level analytical framework. Results ZP's discourse is structured around three interconnected dimensions: (1) core welfare chauvinism claims demanding that welfare entitlements be restricted to native citizens; (2) legitimating logics built around cultural threat and national security narratives that justify welfare exclusion; and (3) rhetorical techniques, particularly economic burden framing, that support exclusionary claims. Welfare chauvinism functions as the core exclusionary outcome, while these cultural and security-based logics operate as discursive mechanisms that legitimize it. Discussion By examining a non-Western case shaped by a distinct welfare and refugee governance context, this study extends the welfare chauvinism literature beyond its Western European focus. The findings show how exclusionary discourse politicizes welfare distribution along ethno-national lines and gains salience under conditions of economic uncertainty and populist mobilization. The proposed three-level analytical framework provides a basis for comparative and cross-regional research.