2021 | Lukas F. Stoetzer, Johannes Giesecke and Heike Klüver
How does income inequality affect the support for populist parties?
Current research shows that increasing income inequality boosts the electoral success of populist parties in Europe. We investigate how factors such as economic insecurity, trust in political elites, social integration and national identity explain this relationship. The analysis of data from 14 Western European countries (2002–2016) confirms that rising income inequality is associated with economic insecurity, low trust in elites, and strong national identity. However, these factors do not fully explain why income inequality strengthens support for populist parties. The results suggest that further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms behind this relationship.
Photos:
1 – nitpicker / Shutterstock / Burgdorf, Lower Saxony, Germany – June 30, 2023: AfD party programs – AfD is an extreme right-wing party in Germany
2 – Illustration of wealth inequality
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