Left Behind: Emigration, Political Brain Drain, and Support for Radical Parties

• In Event: Migration, Populism and Democratic Politics in Europe

Abstract

What explains variation in public support for radical-right political parties in Europe? In this paper, we argue that the emigration of high-skilled individuals from certain states, regions, and communities, has had significant and underappreciated political effects. It has been well established that individuals with certain profiles—male, young or old, less formally educated, manual laborers—are more likely to support the radical-right. We posit that the migration of high-skilled individuals to states and regions with greater opportunities for advancement in the modern, service-based digital economy thus has unexpected political ramifications; their departure leaves communities more homogenous and susceptible to radicalization, while their arrival in new communities leaves locals resentful of missed economic opportunities. While international and national migrations are driven primarily by economic considerations, high-skilled emigration constitutes a socio-political brain drain. To test our theory we deploy cross-national census, electoral, and economic data to model popular support for radical right parties across Europe as well as sub-national data to model support for the National Front across French Departments and Communes. Our results demonstrate that both states and sub-national administrative areas which experience high skilled emigration are more likely to exhibit substantial support for the radical right.

Authors

• Paula Daniela Ganga, Columbia University

• Filip Savatic, Georgetown University

• Abraham Newman, Georgetown University