Analysing gender needs and vote switching from mainstream to right-wing populist parties

Since the late 80s, radical right parties have become important actors in many European party systems. Consequently, this party family has been extensively examined by academic research, specifically from the point of view of its electoral constituency. Thus, support for these parties has been mostly linked to anti-immigration attitudes and nativist orientations. More recently, the role of anti-gender and anti-feminist attitudes has also been noted, alongside the existence of a “gender gap” (that it is, men are more likely to support the radical right than women). In this sense, in the line pointed out by Ruiz (2023), it is possible to hypothesize that radical right parties could act as niche parties regarding gender issues and that their voters would have specific needs, demands, and worries in that dimension. The aim of this research is to examine the discourses of radical right supporters through novel empirical data produced within the Horizon Europe project “UNTWIST: Policy recommendations to regain ‘losers of feminism’ as mainstream voters” (ref. 101060836). By examining several focus groups developed in six different countries (Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, Hungary, Denmark, and Switzerland) with radical right’s supporters, some interesting evidence is presented. On the one hand, cross-country differences and similarities regarding needs and orientations concerning gender are highlighted. On the other, differences and similarities between men and women on this sphere are also noted. In sum, this research has the added value of approaching a complex phenomenon such as the radical right in a qualitative and comparative way. Our findings will provide valuable clues for developing strategies and public policies that satisfy radical right voters in a more inclusive and democratic way.