hardliners
Unbudging political faction
Hardliners are people who take an uncompromising stance on political or ideological issues, refusing to moderate their positions or negotiate with opponents.
The term typically describes factions within governments, parties, or movements who resist reform or accommodation: Hardliners in the regime blocked any concession to protesters.
The opposite of hardliners are moderates or doves.
Refusing to yield ground
- intransigentRefusing to compromise
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- adamantStubbornly refusing to yield
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
unbending · immovable · steadfast · resolute · staunch · diehard · implacable · unswerving
Cautious about altering customs
- right-wingPolitically conservative faction
- reactionaryAnti-progress political stance
- nationalistOne prioritizing homeland interests
- fundamentalistStrict original-doctrine adherent
extremist · hawk · militant · zealot · ideologue · partisan · radical · purist
Rigorous, without flexibility
- disciplinarianStrict enforcer of rules
- enforcerOne who ensures compliance
- draconianExtremely harsh, especially laws
- sternStrict or ship's aft
austere · stringent · exacting · autocratic · dictatorial · repressive · heavy-handed · iron-fisted
uncompromising
Refusing to yield ground
- intransigentRefusing to compromise
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- adamantStubbornly refusing to yield
obstinate · unbending · immovable · steadfast · resolute · staunch · diehard · implacable · unswerving · unrelenting
conservative
Cautious about altering customs
- right-wingPolitically conservative faction
- reactionaryAnti-progress political stance
- nationalistOne prioritizing homeland interests
fundamentalist · extremist · hawk · militant · zealot · ideologue · partisan · radical · purist · loyalist
strict
Rigorous, without flexibility
- disciplinarianStrict enforcer of rules
- enforcerOne who ensures compliance
- draconianExtremely harsh, especially laws
stern · austere · stringent · exacting · autocratic · dictatorial · repressive · heavy-handed · iron-fisted · totalitarian
- Iranian GovernmentSupreme Leader, Ayatollah, judiciary, legislature, executive branch
- Soviet collapseGorbachev, glasnost, perestroika, USSR, Soviet Union
- fundamentalistsfundamentalists, true believers, zealots, literalists, dogmatists
- extremistsextremists, extremist, fanatics, fanatic, radicals
- restrictionistsrestrictionists, nativists, exclusionists
- devoteesdevotee, devotees, adherent, adherents, follower
hardlinersmoderates
Reduces intensity or extremity
compromisers · pragmatists · conciliators · peacemakers · bridge-builders
hardlinerscentrists
Political middle-dwellers
middle-of-the-roaders · moderates · independents · swing voters · undecideds
hardlinersmoderates
Reduces intensity or extremity
pragmatists · soft-liners · reformists · gradualists · realists