Tainted Love: How Stigmatization of a Political Party in News Media Reduces its Electoral Support

• In Event: Campaign Strategies and Information Effects: Insights From Europe

Abstract

In contemporary democracies, a political party typically needs good press to attract voters. A glum scenario for a party would be that news media systematically stigmatize it. To what extent does stigmatization lower its electoral support? This paper addresses this question by examining voters’ reactions to the Dutch party PVV being associated with stigmatized other parties. Using a media content analysis linked to a 2014 panel survey of a sample representative of the Dutch electorate, we find that exposure to such indirect stigmatization lowered these voters’ perceived legitimacy of the PVV. This, in turn, decreased their propensity to vote for that party. Both effects occurred exclusively among voters who held anti-immigrant attitudes, which are key to voting for the PVV. The finding that stigmatization worked in the case of this well-established party suggests it can be a strong tool in the hands of those who intend to damage a party.

Authors

• Joost Van Spanje, U of Amsterdam

• Rachid Azrout, Amsterdam School of Communication Research/U of Amsterdam