Explaining The Gender Gap in Support for the New Right

Abstract

This article uses data from the 2000 Canadian Election Study to examine a variety of possible explanations for the gender gap in support for the new right. The authors find structural and situational explanations to be of little help in accounting for the gap. What matters are values and beliefs. The gender gap in support for Canada's new right party reflects differences in views about the appropriate role of the state, law and order, and traditional moral values. It also appears to reflect differences in the salience of politics in men's and women's lives. When all of these attitudinal factors are taken into account, the gender gap ceases to be significant. The implications of the findings are considered in light of comparative analyses of gender gaps in vote choice and support for radical right-wing populist political parties in Western Europe.

Young people, parents and radical right voting. The Case of the Swiss People’s Party

“…Young males are, on average, more supportive of the SVP than young females. This corresponds with previous research with respect to extreme right support among adults (Givens, 2004;Gidengel et al, 2005). Speaking Italian considerably decreases the chance that a young person votes for the SVP.…”

“…We made additional adjustments for the role of individual characteristics through the inclusion of age (M ¼ 20.8) and gender (48 per cent female) as control variables. Gender has been identified as a consistent predictor of radical right voting, as male voters are over-represented among the voters of the radical right parties, including the Swiss radical right (Fontana et al, 2006;Givens, 2004;Gidengel et al, 2005;Norris, 2005;Fontana et al, 2006).…”

Left wings to the left: Posing and perceived political orientation

“…This reflects the tendency of women to be more liberal than men in their voting behaviour and attitudes on political issues (e.g., see Chaney, Alvarez, & Nagler, 1998;Gidengil, Hennigar, Blais, & Nevitte, 2005;Kaufmann, 2002;McCue & Gopoian, 2000;Schlesinger & Heldman, 2001). It is also important to note that traits used to describe liberal individuals: compassionate, devoted to others, emotional, and kind, tend to be associated with femininity, and traits used to describe conservative individuals: active, independent, and decisive, tend to be associated with masculinity (Winter, 2010).…”

Challenges to Women’s Political Representation in Europe

“…Right-wing populist parties embrace liberal individualism and want to maximize the autonomy of the individual (Taggart 1995). The available research points to a gender gap in voting preferences, with men more likely than women to support the new right (Betz 1994;Gidengil et al 2005). Explanations of this gender gap are that the greater dependency of women on the welfare state makes them reluctant to support parties that want to dismantle it, that women's greater loyalty to Christian Democracy is tied to their greater church attendance, and that men are more concerned with law and order (Kitschelt 1995;Gidengil et al 2005).…”

“…The available research points to a gender gap in voting preferences, with men more likely than women to support the new right (Betz 1994;Gidengil et al 2005). Explanations of this gender gap are that the greater dependency of women on the welfare state makes them reluctant to support parties that want to dismantle it, that women's greater loyalty to Christian Democracy is tied to their greater church attendance, and that men are more concerned with law and order (Kitschelt 1995;Gidengil et al 2005). Neither the political values nor the gender composition of supporters makes it likely that these populist parties will promote women as their political leaders.…”