2021/10/07 by Eelco Harteveld, Philipp Mendoza, Matthijs Rooduijn · 165 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Antipathy #Comparative politics #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Ingroups and outgroups #Law #Mainstream #Outgroup #Polarization (electrochemistry) #Political economy #Political science #Politics #Populism #Populism, Right-Wing Movements #Psychological nativism #Psychology #Radical right #Social Media and Politics #Social psychology #Sociology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/gov.2021.31
published in Government and Opposition 57(4), 703-727 (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 2021/10/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Abstract Do populist radical right (PRR) parties fuel affective polarization? If so, how and under which circumstances? Based on a comparative cross-country analysis covering 103 elections in 28 European countries and an examination of longitudinal data from the Netherlands, we show that PRR parties occupy a particular position in the affective political landscape because they both radiate and receive high levels of dislike. In other words, supporters of PRR parties are uniquely (and homogeneously) negative about (supporters of) mainstream parties and vice versa. Our analyses suggest that these high levels of antipathy are most likely due to the combination of these parties' nativism and populism – two different forms of ingroup–outgroup thinking. Our findings also suggest that greater electoral success by PRR parties reduces dislike towards them, while government participation appears threatening to all voters except coalition partners.