‘Men’s parties’, but with more active women: Participation at the grassroots of populist radical right parties

How and why does grassroots participation in populist radical right (PRR) parties differ between women and men? Contrary to scholarly expectations, I argue that women might be more active than men in PRR party activities. First, women who take the step of joining these parties might be expected to be distinctively motivated by policy and material incentives (strategic activism). Second, PRR parties have reputational, electoral, and organisational reasons to promote women’s activism (fostered activism). I test this argument on the membership bases of the League in Italy and the Sweden Democrats. Drawing on an original survey of over 8,000 grassroots members, I find that women are more active than men in both medium- and high-intensity party activities. Based on the survey data and on interviews with 28 officials from the two PRR parties, I show that women’s higher levels of activism are best explained in terms of fostered activism.