Left of Right? Labor Market, (In)security, and Radical Party Support

• In Event: Mini-Conference on Politics in Post-industrial Societies V: Old and New Grievances and the Rising Appeal of Radical Parties

Abstract

The strong and rising support for populist radical parties has caused upheavals across European political landscapes. Recent scholarship, however, has focused on the ascendance of populist radical right (RR) parties, overlooking other expressions of mainstream party disaffection and abandonment - especially on the radical left (RL) - that occur within the same national political space. Specifically, despite growing interest in geographic divides in support for radical anti-establishment parties, prior research has predominantly examined the local contexts under which voters turn to the RR. Our study deepens understanding of the economic and labor market conditions under which populist anti-establishment sentiments translate into support for the RR among some individuals and in some localities and the RL among, and in, others. We advance a structural economic argument to explain how space and place structure support for RR and RL parties. What distinguishes RR from RL strongholds and voters, we argue, is their relative economic and labor market (in)security and how these evolve over time. To make our case, we turn to France - a country with long-standing presence of radical parties on both sides of the political spectrum - and examine the dynamics of electoral support for RR and RL candidates in French presidential elections between 1995 - 2022, both at the local and individual levels.

Authors

• Pauliina Patana, Georgetown University

• Quinton Mayne, Harvard University