Political parties play an increasingly important role in episodes of democratic erosion and breakdown. Prior research identifies a pattern in which parties that are not committed to democracy exploit societal divisions and foster polarization to mobilize support, ultimately gaining power and dismantling democratic institutions. Although this pattern has certainly taken place in some countries, it is still not clear whether it explains the general rise of parties that contest democracy that has taken place in recent years. This paper investigates the factors contributing to this rise, focusing on one critical part of this sequence: the relationship between ideological polarization and the prevalence of undemocratic positions within party systems. Specifically, it distinguishes between polarization on cultural issues and economic redistribution. To do that, it draws on data from the V-Party dataset, which includes information on party positions regarding economic, cultural and governance issues across 121 countries from 1970 to 2019. Findings suggest that the recent surge in anti-pluralist stances, mainly by radical right and conservative parties, aligns closely with escalating conflicts surrounding immigration and LGBT rights, core issues within the cultural ideological dimension. This paper seeks to contribute to the literature on political parties and democratic backsliding by examining how party competition can foster democratic contestation.