Finding the Right Track? The Economic Crisis and the Increased Popularity of Right-Wing Parties Across Europe

During the economic crisis the popularity of nationalist and anti-immigration political parties has increased in many European states. However, whilst some states that were severely affected by the economic crisis have seen such political parties gain popularity, other states that were equally severely affected have not. Similarly, certain states that were relatively insulated from the worst effects of the crisis have seen such political parties gain in popularity. There is thus no homogeneous pattern across Europe. Using data from the European Social Survey this paper shows that a change in public attitudes is required to understand changes in electoral outcomes. We identify where attitudes have become more conducive for such parties and how this can be explained systematically, taking into account national-level factors reflecting both the economic situation of countries and prevalent expressions of the political climate.