Shafaq News/ A recent study published in the American Behavioral Scientist has revealed a significant link between life dissatisfaction and the surge of right-wing populist movements across Europe. Analyzing survey data from 14 countries spanning 2012 to 2018, researchers found that individuals discontented with their lives are more prone to harbor negative views on immigration and distrust political institutions, thereby boosting their inclination toward supporting right-wing populist parties.
The study aimed to delve into the psychological roots behind the mounting support for these parties across Europe. While previous research highlighted economic insecurity and cultural shifts as contributing factors to their success, the role of personal life dissatisfaction had not been comprehensively explored.
Researchers hypothesized that life dissatisfaction might serve as a crucial link connecting economic and cultural grievances to the support for populist parties. By investigating this connection, they aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the motivations underlying right-wing populist voting patterns.
The research utilized data from the European Social Survey, encompassing responses from over 54,000 individuals across Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The analysis focused on responses related to life satisfaction, political trust, attitudes towards immigration, and voting behavior, specifically including only those who had voted in the most recent national election.
Participants rated their life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicated greater satisfaction. Political trust was assessed by evaluating respondents' confidence in various political institutions, while attitudes towards immigration were gauged through questions on its perceived impact on the economy, culture, and society. The primary outcome of interest was whether participants had voted for a right-wing populist party.
The findings revealed a significant association between life dissatisfaction and support for right-wing populist parties. Notably, individuals in the lowest quartile of life satisfaction were nearly twice as likely to support these parties compared to those in the highest quartile. This relationship persisted even after accounting for factors such as age, gender, education, economic insecurity, and health.
Furthermore, the study uncovered that life dissatisfaction indirectly influenced right-wing populist voting through two key attitudes: political distrust and anti-immigration sentiments. Dissatisfied individuals were more inclined to distrust political institutions and hold negative views on immigration, thus heightening their likelihood of supporting right-wing populist parties. Particularly, anti-immigration sentiment emerged as the stronger mediator among the two.
The study also identified variations across countries. For instance, the direct correlation between life dissatisfaction and right-wing populist voting was not statistically significant in countries like Hungary and Italy, suggesting contextual factors may influence this relationship. Nevertheless, in most countries examined, anti-immigration sentiment consistently played a crucial role in translating life dissatisfaction into support for right-wing populist parties.
While offering valuable insights, the study acknowledges several limitations. The cross-sectional design of the survey data precludes definitive establishment of causal relationships. Although the findings suggest associations, they do not conclusively prove that life dissatisfaction directly causes individuals to vote for right-wing populist parties. Future longitudinal research would be essential to validate these causal pathways.