Long‐term decline of regions and the rise of populism: The case of Germany

Fritsch, Michael; Greve, Maria; Wyrwich, Michael

doi:10.1111/jors.12627

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…However, our findings reveal that it is actually the unequal and economically weak regions that play a more significant role in predicting AfD vote share. This is in line with the existing literature, which showed how economic deprivation within a region predicts radical right voting (Bayerlein 2022;Greve et al 2023). In alignment with Rodríguez-Pose's (2018) concept of 'left behind regions', radical right populist parties perform particularly well in regions with a high level of inequality and those in long-term economic decline.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Assessing Regional Variation in Support for the Radical Right-Wing Party ‘Alternative for Germany’ (AfD)—A Novel Application of Institutional Anomie Theory across German Districts

Nickel,

Groß

2023

Social Sciences

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The paper at hand aims to address a research gap by examining the spatial impact of economic and non-economic institutions on regional variation in the support for the German populist far-right party ‘Alternative for Germany (AfD)’. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach and drawing on institutional anomie theory, the study explores the relationship between economic dominance—economic inequality and economic strength—and regional AfD vote share, as well as the role of non-economic institutions in shaping support for the party. Using various regional indicators, the study assesses the strength of different institutions and their impact on the AfD’s electoral results in the year 2021 across 401 German districts (NUTS 3-level). The results point to significant differences between eastern and western Germany in the analysis of regional populist voting patterns. Economic dominance emerges as a stronger predictor of the AfD’s vote share in eastern regions. However, the findings on the protective effect of strong non-economic institutions against AfD voting are ambiguous and partly contrary to theoretical expectations. Overall, the study’s findings show that the newly introduced indicators deduced from institutional anomie theory contribute to the existing literature to help better understand regional variances in AfD support. Furthermore, the study contributes to the existing literature on the rise of contemporary radical right movements by employing Karl Polanyi’s framework of ‘disembedded’ markets. In doing so, it sheds light on the complex interplay between social change, anomic tendencies, and the growth of radical right movements in capitalist societies.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Assessing Regional Variation in Support for the Radical Right-Wing Party ‘Alternative for Germany’ (AfD)—A Novel Application of Institutional Anomie Theory across German Districts

Nickel,

Groß

2023

Social Sciences

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“…Rozhorčenie môže vyvolávať nielen aktuálna ekonomická situácia, ale tiež ekonomická situácia v minulosti. Takže sa môže ekonomická situácia voliča alebo regiónu zlepšovať, ale stále je viditeľné rozhorčenie z minulých rokov (Greve, Fritsch, Wyrwich 2021). Druhým typom rozhorčenia, ktorý využíva populistická radikálna pravica, je rozhorčenie voličov z vlády.…”

Section: Vplyv Nostalgie a Rozhorčenia Na Volebné Správanieunclassified

Electoral support in peripheral post-socialist regions as a product of nostalgia and grievances: The example of the Bruntál district

Kevický¹

2023

Geografie

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Voters are often influenced by emotions when choosing a political party in elections. In particular, right-wing and left-wing populist parties try to evoke these emotions in their potential voters. This article investigates the impact of nostalgia and grievances that populist parties try to induce in their voters in peripheral regions and thus influence the choice of a political party. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with inhabitants of the Bruntál district, which is characterised by above-average support for populist parties. According to the analysis, support for the left-wing Communist Party was influenced by nostalgia for the socialist regime, especially among the older population. Post-socialist nostalgia also appeared among younger residents if they had an elderly family member who benefited from the past regime. In contrast, economic deprivation, grievances with the central government, and the possible and actual consequences of the migration crisis have increased the attraction of the populist radical right in the region.

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“…Precisely those regions have voted to leave the EU whose economic prosperity and labor income are most dependent on EU markets (Los et al 2017). It can also be seen for Germany that a long-term, one could also say a historical, decline in regional income benefits the AfD in the 2017 federal election (Greve et al 2023).…”

Section: Economic Decline Of Regionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Left Behind Together and Voting for Populism: Regional Out-Migration, Civic Engagement and the Electoral Success of Populist Radical Right Parties

Schütze

2023

Social Sciences

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According to the academic debate, the populist radical right is particularly successful in regions that have been left behind economically or culturally. Although civic engagement in networks of civil society, a specific form of social capital, seems important, its influence remains ambiguous. In contrast, regional out-migration as a social dimension of being left behind receives limited attention despite the relevance of internal migration to political geography. This study investigates two theoretically possible models to clarify the relationships between regional out-migration, civic engagement, and their impacts on voting for the populist radical right. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) and official regional statistics, logistic multilevel analyses are conducted for Germany and the election of the AfD (Alternative for Germany) in the 2017 federal election. The key finding of the cross-sectional analysis is that regional out-migration is a condition that moderates the relationship between civic participation and the election of the AfD. In general, civically involved individuals support established democratic parties, but in regions with high out-migration, they tend to vote for the populist radical right. However, there is no empirical evidence that regional out-migration contributes to the election of the AfD by reducing civic engagement and being mediated by it.

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Long‐term decline of regions and the rise of populism: The case of Germany

Cited by 13 publications

References 88 publications

Assessing Regional Variation in Support for the Radical Right-Wing Party ‘Alternative for Germany’ (AfD)—A Novel Application of Institutional Anomie Theory across German Districts

Assessing Regional Variation in Support for the Radical Right-Wing Party ‘Alternative for Germany’ (AfD)—A Novel Application of Institutional Anomie Theory across German Districts

Electoral support in peripheral post-socialist regions as a product of nostalgia and grievances: The example of the Bruntál district

Left Behind Together and Voting for Populism: Regional Out-Migration, Civic Engagement and the Electoral Success of Populist Radical Right Parties

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