Voting for the Populist Radical-Right in Austria and Germany: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract: One of the most notable trends in recent European elections has been the electoral success of populist radical-right parties. Leveraging on the temporal proximity of the 2017 elections in Germany and Austria and using data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) Module 5, this study conducts a comparative analysis of demand- and supply-side factors influencing populist radical-right voting in these two countries. Our findings underscore the consistent significance of anti-immigrant and populist attitudes, along with ideological proximity, in motivating support for such parties. The impact of economic pessimism, however, varies across contexts. Our analysis also reveals that the higher prevalence of populist radical-right support in Austria is predominantly tied to its perception as less radical and closer to voters, rather than differences in the levels of reactionary tendencies between the two countries. Overall, this research contributes to the ongoing debates on the normalization of the populist radical-right and provides insights regarding practical strategies to address the populist challenge.