Risk Aversion and the Gender Gap in the Vote for Populist Radical Right Parties

Abstract

Previous research has established that men are more likely to vote for populist radical right parties (PRRPs) than women. This article shows how cross-national and temporal variations in PRRPs' electoral success interact with individuals' risk propensity to affect this gender gap. We hypothesize that gender differences in the electoral support of PRRPs stem from disparities in risk-taking. We conceptualize risk in terms of two components, social and electoral, and demonstrate that women are more risk-averse regarding both. Our analysis is based on public opinion data from 14 countries combined with macrolevel data on PRRPs' past parliamentary fortunes. To distinguish between the social and electoral components in risk-taking, we use the illustrative case study of Germany. Findings demonstrate that gender differences in risk-taking and, by implication, the differences between women's and men's responses to the electoral context are key to understanding the voting gender gap.

It depends on personal networks: Feelings of stigmatisation among populist radical right party members

“…[…] Males are more confronting'. These accounts suggest that women perceive a greater social risk in being PRR party members than men, echoing the results of Oshri et al (2022) on how gendered dynamics of risk aversion affect the gender gap in PRR support.…”

“…Their electoral support can be further hindered by 'demonising' media coverage ( van Spanje & Azrout, 2019). Moreover, in dozens of European countries, the stigma associated with PRR parties has been found to partly explain why women are less likely than men to vote for them (Harteveld et al, 2017;Oshri et al, 2022). Indirectly, stigmatisation can negatively affect PRR party organisation, which is considered a key factor in sustaining their electoral breakthroughs (Loxbo & Bolin, 2016) and persistence (Art, 2011;Mudde, 2007).…”

The Split-Ticket Voting Phenomenon: Analyzing Internal Voter Factors in the Central–Provincial House of Representatives Election

“…On the other hand, individual factors play a crucial role in the split-ticket voting phenomenon in the Central-Provincial House of Representatives election in Makassar City. Several factors influence ticket-splitting behavior, including the strength of partisanship (Moskowitz, 2021), incumbency information (Chou et al, 2021), strategic/policy balancing (Woods, 2022), and the effectiveness of campaigns and socialization (Oshri et al, 2023). Voter behavior reflected through ticket-splitting indicates deep consideration in elections, where voters do not merely follow the lines of political parties but also evaluate the merits of candidates, the policies offered, and the potential to create balance in government.…”

Subjective economic insecurity and attitudes toward immigration and feminists among voters on the Right in Canada

“…To the extent that mainstream conservative parties in these systems have included some nativist and exclusionary themes in their manifestoes and campaigns, they are appealing for the votes of that electorate within the aggregative logic of a majoritarian voting system. Second, given the role that voters' strategic calculations about the electoral viability of populist right parties play in their willingness to vote for them (Cohen 2018;Oshri et al 2023), a party of the mainstream right embracing exclusionary themes is probably attractive to such voters.…”