Grassroots Women in the Populist Radical Right

Populist radical right (PRR) parties have long been characterised as ‘men’s parties’ due to the overrepresentation of men within their ranks. Yet, not only are PRR parties attracting more women voters than ever, but they are also electing more women MPs than ever. To explain these trends, “Grassroots Women in the Populist Radical Right” investigates women’s involvement as PRR party members. The book explores gender differences in members’ motivations for joining, motivations for staying, and activism, as well as PRR parties’ recruitment and retention strategies. It focuses on three PRR parties: the Bharatiya Janata Party in India, the League in Italy, and the Sweden Democrats. Drawing on a vast collection of original data – including interviews with over 100 party members and officials from the three parties, alongside membership surveys of the League and the Sweden Democrats – the book reveals that PRR parties should not still be considered ‘men’s parties’. Arguing that women members play a central role in the organisational development, electoral expansion, and growing normalisation of the populist radical right, Ammassari sheds light on one of the defining political phenomena of our century.