The Radical Right in the Alps

8/14/2019 The Radical Right in the Alps

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THE RADICAL RIGHT IN THE ALPS

Evolution of Support for the Swiss SVP and Austrian P!"u#l$

Anthon% &' ()Gann and Her*ert +its)helt

Anthon% &' ()Gann and Her*ert +its)heltThe Radi)al Ri,ht in The Alps

In ")to*er -.../ the Austrian reedo# Part% 0P!"u#l$1 won 23'. per)ent of the vote in

the Austrian le,islative ele)tions of that %ear/ a few hundred votes ahead of the Austrian

People4s Part% 0!"u#l$VP1/ while the Swiss People4s Part% 0SVP1 attra)ted 22'3 per)ent

of the vote in the Swiss parlia#entar% ele)tions/ ahead of the Swiss li*erals/ with -.'.

per)ent' In 2556/ the SVP *e)a#e the lar,est part% in the Swiss Nationalrat with 23'7

per)ent of the vote' These are the onl% far8ri,ht- parties in advan)ed post8industrial

)ountries that have ever rea)hed or e9)eeded the ele)toral support level of their lar,est

esta*lished non8so)ialist )o#petitors' This arti)le anal%:es the evolution and support of

these parties/ usin, surve% data fro# the Swiss National Ele)tion Stud% -... and a surve%

fro# Austria in -..;'2 1/ and that the% have evolved in that dire)tion over ti#e' The% *oth/

however/ retain ele#ents of the support *ases the% had *efore the% *e)a#e new radi)al8

ri,ht parties/ whi)h #a% e9plain in part wh% the% are lar,er than their )ounterparts

elsewhere'

Apart fro# the o*vious need to understand the pheno#enon of 9enopho*i) far8ri,ht

parties out8pollin, the )onventional ri,ht in Swit:erland and Austria/ the P!"u#l$ and

SVP are theoreti)all% i#portant for at least two reasons' irstl%/ the% are li#itin, )ases'

(ost European de#o)ra)ies now have at least one part% that )an *e )lassified as far8ri,ht

that has won si,nifi)ant national representation' The P!"u#l$ and SVP have *een *%

far the #ost su))essful of these/ notwithstandin, the losses the P!"u#l$ suffered in the

2552 ele)tions' As su)h the% provide a ,reat deal of infor#ation a*out the potential forfar8ri,ht #o*ili:ation and appeals elsewhere'

Se)ondl%/ the P!"u#l$ and SVP are interestin, in that the% did not start out as far8ri,ht

parties' Rather/ a far8ri,ht fa)tion was a*le to ta?e )ontrol of an e9istin, part% and #ove it

to the ri,ht' A ,reat deal of the literature on far8ri,ht parties has )on)entrated on the

)onditions under whi)h su)h parties are a*le to e#er,e' To understand the Austrian and

Swiss )ases/ however/ we need to stud% how parties evolve' This involves )onsiderin,

how part% leaders rea)t to )onditions of part% )o#petition/ and how parties evolve

internall% in ter#s of intra8part% de)ision8#a?in, and the re)ruit#ent of #e#*ers'

+its)helt 0-..>1 su,,ests that/ to *e su))essful/ far8ri,ht parties have to adopt a =winnin,

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for#ula4/ )o#*inin, opposition to i##i,ration with free8#ar?et e)ono#i) and so)io8

)ultural )onservatis#'


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e#phasi:es free8#ar?et appeals and attra)ts a #iddle8)lass )onstituen)%/ whereas the

latter e#phasi:es 9enopho*ia and appeals pri#aril% to *lue8)ollar wor?ers'

et: ar,ues that in the -..5s there was a trend for neoli*eral populist parties to *e)o#e

national populist'


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founded *% #averi)?s that do not fit within standard politi)al definitions'> However/

a))ordin, to this ar,u#ent/ #ovin, in the dire)tion of =new radi)al8ri,ht4 parties is a

ne)essar% )ondition for )ontinued su))ess' 1

finds that e)ono#i) li*eralis# was the stron,est predi)tor of whether so#eone voted

P!"u#l$ in -.;./ far stron,er than attitudes on i##i,ration or so)io8)ultural

authoritarianis#' urther#ore/ durin, this period the P!"u#l$ drew support

appro9i#atel% proportionatel% fro# all o))upational ,roups/ as would *e e9pe)ted of a

part% with pri#aril% an =anti8statist populist4 appeal' Esta*lishin, the part%4s antistatist

)redentials not onl% won a new )onstituen)% for the part%/ *ut also redefined the part%

under Haider in )ontradistin)tion to the li*eral win, of the P!"u#l$/ whi)h had

parti)ipated in ,overn#ent with the SP!"u#l$' This redefinition of the P!"u#l$ was

also refle)ted in an in)reasin, #e#*ership #e#*ership of the part% ,rew steadil% while

Haider was leader/ despite a ,eneral trend in Europe toward lower part% #e#*ership and

the fa)t that the li*eral win, of the part% *ro?e off to for# the Li*eral oru# in -..6'3

The se)ond step involves the P!"u#l$ transfor#in, itself fro# an anti8statist populist

part% into a pattern far #ore t%pi)al of the new radi)al8ri,ht' This pro)ess started in -..5/

parti)ularl% with the Vienna #uni)ipal ele)tions'

et: 0-..B1 ar,ues that this )han,e of strate,% was due to the fa)t that the P!"u#l$ had

e9hausted potential ,ains at the e9pense of the Christian de#o)rati) !"u#l$VP/ and/ to)ontinue to ,row/ needed to #a?e inroads on the support of the So)ial De#o)rats' Thus

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the P!"u#l$ added on to its anti8)lientelist/ populist appeal of the late -.;5s distin)tl%

ri,ht8win, so)io8)ultural appeals featurin, the ree)tion of i##i,ration and s?epti)is# of

European inte,ration'

These appeals resonated with the s#all *usiness and lower #iddle)lass )onstituen)% of

the P!"u#l$/ and added wor?in,8)lass support' Voter flow anal%ses show that in the

-..5s the SP!"u#l$ heavil% lost voters to the P!"u#l$ 0Hofin,er et al'/ 25551/ su)h

that *% -... the P!"u#l$ attra)ted #ore wor?ers than the SP!"u#l$' Later in the

-..5s the P!"u#l$ re)onfi,ured its so)io8e)ono#i) appeal' Now possessin, a

su*stantial wor?in,8)lass )onstituen)%/ it adopted ele#ents of a #ore so)ial8prote)tionist

position/ su)h as support for full e#plo%#ent/ )hild *enefits and opposition to pension

)uts/ *ut also #aintained ele#ents of a ri,ht8win, e)ono#i) a,enda/ su)h as a flat in)o#eta9 and a =realisti)4 pension refor# in li,ht of de#o,raphi) *urdens 0see (ller/ 2555F

6B>$ Plasser and Jlra#/ 2555F 22365$ Riedlsper,er/ -..;1'

"f )ourse/ this set of appeals alwa%s involved a *alan)in, a)t/ appealin, si#ultaneousl%

to a free8#ar?et anti8statist )onstituen)% and to a *lue8)ollar )onstituen)% that values

so)ial prote)tion' However/ while the P!"u#l$ was in opposition this was possi*le' The

offi)ial part% platfor# e#phasi:ed the anti8statist li*ertarian side of the part% if we

e9a#ine the part% pro,ra# of the P!"u#l$/ or the pu*lished ,overnin, )oalition

pro,ra# with the !"u#l$VP/7 it is hard to find #u)h eviden)e that the P!"u#l$ is a

ri,ht8win, part% at all/ with the e9)eption that the Austrian nation and )ulture are

)on)eived in ethni) 0i'e' predo#inantl% Ger#an1 ter#s/ and the fa)t that there is support

for ti,hter )ontrols on i##i,ration/ as%lu# and assi#ilation' However/ Haider4s pu*li)

state#ents/ his re)ord as Governor and +ulturreferent 0=Cultural Prefe)t41 of the provin)e

of Carinthia and the part%4s le,islative re)ord 0see (in?en*er,/ 255-1 si,naled the part%4s

ri,ht8win, )redentials to those who find this attra)tive' The internal part% stru,,le in

Septe#*er 2552 that led to the withdrawal of the P!"u#l$ fro# ,overn#ent illustrated

the )ontradi)tions of this strate,%'; In the national ele)tions that followed in Nove#*er

2552/ support for the P!"u#l$ fell fro# 23'. to -5'2 per)ent'

If this interpretation of the evolution of the P!"u#l$ is a))urate/ then we would e9pe)t

the so)io8e)ono#i) and ideolo,i)al )o#position of the P!"u#l$ ele)torate in the late

-..5s to *e far )loser to the new radi)al8ri,ht pattern than the anti8statist populist pattern

des)ri*ed *% +its)helt *ased on -..5 data'


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other ,roups should *e under8represented' However/ if the P!"u#l$ has indeed *een

a*le to ?eep its anti8statist populist )onstituen)% while e9pandin, its wor?in,8)lass

support/ we would e9pe)t the a*solute level of white8)ollar support to *e the sa#e as in

-..5/ althou,h it would *e a s#aller proportion of the total vote' In ter#s of ideolo,%/ we

also e9pe)t that the P!"u#l$4s voters *e)o#e #ore t%pi)al of a new radi)al8ri,ht part%

that is/ su*stantiall% #ore so)io8)ulturall% authoritarian and anti8i##i,ration than

voters of other parties 0whi)h was nota*l% not the )ase in -..51'


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various other parties 0reedo#KAuto#o*ile Part%/ Swiss De#o)rats1 to )arve out a ni)he

for the#selves *% ta?in, a #ore un)o#pro#isin, opposition stan)e 0Gentile and +riesi/

-..;1' However/ lo)her #ana,ed to sei:e on the SVP4s ideolo,i)al resour)es to rall% its

)ore ele)torate and attra)t new )onstituen)ies si#ultaneousl% with the sa#e appeal' The

SVP was a*le to win over the =new radi)al8ri,ht4 ele)torate who had supported the

reedo# Part%/ while at the sa#e ti#e retainin, the traditional SVP ele)torate and

attra)tin, a *roader anti8EJ )onstituen)%' This is not to sa% that the traditionalist ele#ents

of the SVP were )o#pletel% defeated indeed the% were a*le to prevent lo)her fro#

,ainin, a )a*inet seat until 2556'

Thus/ we would have e9pe)ted the de#o,raphi) )o#position of SVP voters up until the

earl% -..5s to have *een that of a traditionalist a,rarian Christian de#o)rati) part%/ withfar#ers/ s#all *usiness owners and their spouses over8represented and ever%one else

under8represented' However/ *% the late -..5s the SVP should have had the support *ase

of a t%pi)al new radi)al8ri,ht part% with *lue8)ollar wor?ers as well as s#all *usiness

owners over8represented'


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ele)toral pro,ra# is )riti)al of the traditional )onsensual #ode of Austrian politi)s and

e#phasi:es state perfor#an)e rather than )onsensus/ *ut there is no )hallen,e to

de#o)rati) le,iti#a)%' It is possi*le to point to so#e of Haider4s out*ursts that no dou*t

do appeal to voters with e9tre#e8ri,ht s%#pathies' However/ ,iven that the P!"u#l$

has parti)ipated in ,overn#ent now for four %ears/ it is hard to )redi*l% )ate,ori:e it as an

anti8s%ste# part%' urther#ore/ we would also as? how )ate,ori:in, parties *ased on

=their esoteri) dis)ourse and real *ehaviour4 )an *e done in a wa% that is su*e)t to

o*e)tive falsifi)ation'

T"P

6

25-58>8. 5.FB6

2' So)io8E)ono#i)s of Ele)toral Support Coalitions


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21

2'6' Pu*li) se)tor e#plo%ees -;'53 05';61

0N ->1

2'B' 61

2'>' Ho#e#a?ers 2B'2B 05'.>1 -;'25 05';B1

0N 2B1 0N 6>1All respondents 2>'6. 2-'7.

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0N 2361 0N 2751

voters are still under8represented a#on, their supporters 0the P!"u#l$ wins -7-;

per)ent of the white8)ollar vote/ while the SVP wins 2- per)ent1' This is )onsistent with

the h%pothesis that these parties have appeals that attra)t a *roader audien)e than that

t%pi)al of =new radi)al8ri,ht4 parties' It also shows that the% are not purel% wor?ers4

parties'


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-'-' S#all *usinessK -;'3- 0-'BB1 >';5 0-'--1 2>'55 0-'361 far#ers 0N -31 0N >1 0N

2-1

-'2' Retirees ;'B. 05'331 2';5 05'>B1 -2'27 05';51

0N .1 0N 61 0N 6B1

2'-' lue )ollar --'63 05';;1 .'5. 0-'7B1 -.'>; 0-'2;1

0N >1 0N B1 0N 2;1

6'B' '7> 0-'561

0N -21 0N 71 0N B61

6'>' Ho#e#a?ers -.'6. 0-'>51 7'-B 0-'671 -5'B> 05'3;1

0N -.1 0N 71 0N -B1

All respondents -2'.2 >'2- ->'650N 321 0N 2>1 0N -3-1

part%/ over8represented a#on, far#ers/ s#all *usiness owners and ho#e#a?ers/

while *ein, under8represented a#on, all other ,roups' Durin, the -..5s the part% tripled

its support a#on, *lue8)ollar wor?ers and retirees/ produ)in, a t%pi)al =new radi)al8ri,ht4

support pattern' However/ unli?e the P!"u#l$/ it was also su))essful in winnin, #ore

white8)ollar support/ in)reasin, its share of the white8)ollar vote *% #ore than -5 per)ent'

This is )onsistent with the )lai# that the ,rowth of the SVP in the -..5s was not si#pl% a

#atter of addin, a =new radi)al8ri,ht4 appeal to a traditionalist )onservative part%/ *ut also

a #atter of *roader appeals/ su)h as opposition to European inte,ration' Thus/ we )an

thin? of the su))ess of the SVP as *ein, due to =#ar?et deepenin,4 e9ploitin, e9istin,

)onstituen)ies #ore effi)ientl% rather than winnin, new ,roups of supporters' The voter

flow anal%sis fro# -..> to -... 0Ta*le 61 is )onsistent with this' 1 )o#prises those who did not vote in

-..>' This ,roup #a?es up 65 per)ent of the SVP4s -... vote in our sa#ple'

B

25-58>8. 5.FB3

6' Politi)al Issue Positions and Ideolo,%

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federal ele)tions

M of ,roup that M of SVP vote

Vote in .> voted SVP in .. fro# ,roup

Did not vote 0N .-1 ;';> 65'2-

DP 0N 6>1 --'2- --'53

CVP 0N -B1 7'7> B'23

SP 0N -B1 6'63 B'23

SVP 0N -2B1 ;-'7> B7'33

Ta*le B' The ideolo,i)al dispositions of the SVP and P!"u#l$ ele)torates in

)o#parison 0#ean fa)tor s)ores *% part%/ standard errors in parentheses1

A' Swit:erland

Preferen)e for E)ono#i) So)io8)ultural Swiss over "pposition free8#ar?etis#

authoritarianis# forei,ners to EJ

SVP 0N 2761 5'>> 05'3B1 5'75 05'3>1 5'BB 05'.21 5'.5 05';61

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DP 0N 2B71 5'6- 05'3>1 5'-- 05'761 5'52> 05'.>1 5'2- 05';.1

CVP 0N -B.1 5'57 05'361 5'2> 05'371 5'-> 05'.71 5'-> 05'.B1

SP 0N 62;1 5'>B 05'331 5'7- 05';B1 5'>6 05'.-1 5'36 05'3>1

Grnen 0N B61 5'3B 05'3B1 5'.B 05'7;1 5'3. 05'.>1 5'B. 05'761

Did not vote 5'56. 05'761 5'56- 05'731 5'-- 05'.;1 5'5;6 0-'551

0N 73>1

' Austria

E)ono#i) "pposition to "pposition free8#ar?etis# Law and order i##i,ration to EJ

SP!"u#l$ 0N B3-1 5'-66. 05'7>1 5'5-7 05'3-1 5'53.. 05';51 5'-.6. 05';61

!"u#l$VP 0N 67.1 5'5>6B 05'731 5'5-; 05'>;1 5'5-;6 05'7B1 5'22.3 05';31P!"u#l$ 0N 6271 5'-37 05';-1 5'2B- 05'>>1 5'B666 05'351 5'6>27 05';-1

LI 0N >B1 5'2-B 05'751 5'B6. 05'351 5'3;-B 05'771 5'633. 05';B1

Grnen 0N 7>1 5'5532 05'3>1 5'>2B 05'371 5'7673 05';B1 5'5>-> 05';51

"therKno repl% 5'5266 05';71 5'526. 05'3B1 5'52;6 05'761 5'-67 05';>1

0N >531

C' Austria -..5 0fro# +its)helt -..>1

Capitalis# Authoritarianis# Paro)hialis# vs'vs' so)ialis# vs' li*ertarianis#

)os#opolitanis#

SP!"u#l$ 0N B>>1 5'-6 5'- 5'5; !"u#l$VP 0N 6BB1 5'57 5'-. 5'56

P!"u#l$ 0N -3-1 5'-3 5'-- 5'5B

Grnen 0N .51 5'5. 5';3 5'27

di#ensions/ t%pi)all% *% a rather wide #ar,in/ when ta?in, the standard deviations of the

parties4 #ean positions into a))ount' At the opposite pole on all these di#ensions are the

So)ial De#o)rati) Part% and the Greens/ with the li*eral DP and the Christian

de#o)rati) CVP in an inter#ediate position' The ideolo,i)al position of the avera,e SVP

voter is also e9tre#el% )onsistent with the announ)ed platfor# under whi)h the SVP

fou,ht the -... ele)tion/ whi)h e#phasi:ed opposition to ,lo*ali:ation and European

inte,ration/ #is#ana,e#ent of as%lu#/ overe9tension of the state and traditional fa#il%

values'-2

The pi)ture that e#er,es in Austria is si#ilar/ *ut #ore )o#ple9' Li?e the SVP/ thesupporters of the P!"u#l$ tend to *e #ar?et li*eral 0althou,h less so than those of the

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s#all Li*eral oru#1/ and are on the e9tre#e pole on the other ideolo,i)al di#ensions

0so)io8)ultural )onservatis#/ opposition to i##i,ration and EJ inte,ration1' However/ if

we ta?e the ver% wide standard deviations of voter s)ores within ea)h part%4s )onstituen)%

into a))ount/ P!"u#l$ supporters are not all that distin)t on avera,e fro# the

ideolo,i)al positions of the other parties4 followers on e)ono#i)s and so)io)ultural

)onservatis#' "n the opposite pole to the P!"u#l$ are the Greens/ e9)ept on e)ono#i)

poli)%/ on whi)h Green voters are on avera,e )entrist'

The supporters of the so)ial de#o)rati) SP!"u#l$ and Christian de#o)rati) !"u#l$VP

are on avera,e e9tre#el% ali?e/ e9)ept on e)ono#i) poli)%/ where the supporters of the

SP!"u#l$ are #ore left8win,' This is )onsistent with the h%pothesis that the SP!"u#l$

and !"u#l$VP had )onver,ed on si#ilar/ )onsensual poli)ies' The avera,e position ofP!"u#l$ supporters on i##i,ration and the EJ is in line with the part%4s announ)ed

platfor#'

However/ the avera,e position on e)ono#i) poli)% and so)io8)ultural authoritarianis# is

harder to e9plain' The P!"u#l$ platfor# e#phasi:es free8#ar?et and li*ertarian

the#es' However/ Haider4s state#ents have fre@uentl% appeared authoritarian and

9enopho*i)/ and the P!"u#l$ has attra)ted a )onsidera*le *lue8)ollar followin, 0whi)h

we would not e9pe)t to *e parti)ularl% free8#ar?et1' As a result/ the P!"u#l$ appeal on

these issues is a#*i,uous/ and as a result attra)ts a diverse ele)torate'


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The para#eter esti#ates in the se)ond )olu#n onl% #easure the effe)t on the pro*a*ilit%

of votin, for the part% in @uestion relative to a sin,le referen)e part%/ and this relationship

is non8linear' Conse@uentl%/ these para#eters are diffi)ult to interpret dire)tl%' or this

reason/ we have )al)ulated the effe)t on the pro*a*ilit% of votin, for the ri,ht8win, part%

of var%in, the ideolo,i)al s)ale in @uestion 0sa% e)ono#i) free8#ar?etis#1 *etween its

upper and lower @uartile/ while holdin, all other varia*les at their #edian values'-6 This

#easures the effe)t of a varia*le on votin, for the ri,ht8win, part% vis88vis all other

parties and is reported in the fourth )olu#n of Ta*le >' ull #ultino#ial lo,isti)

re,ression results are ,iven in the Appendi9'

Ta*le >' The ideolo,i)al deter#inants of SVP or P!"u#l$ vote )hoi)e 0#ultino#iallo,isti) re,ression results1

A' Swit:erland 0SVP1 0N -5-21

M effe)t on

Para#eter Standard pr of votin,

esti#ate error SVP 0see te9t1

Inter)ept 2'633 5'B56

E)ono#i) free8#ar?etis# 5'-35 5'-.- -2'6

So)io8)ultural )onservatis# 5'>6B 5'262 -6'>

Preferen)e over forei,ners 5'5-7 5'5.5 -'-

"pposition to EJ 5'765 5'5;7 2B'7

DP was referen)e ,roup'

' Austria 0P!"u#l$1 0N --;;1

M effe)t on


esti#ate error P!"u#l$ 0see te9t1

Inter)ept 5'>7. 5'5.;

E)ono#i) free8#ar?etis# 5'273 5'--- 3'7

So)io8)ultural )onservatis# 5'5B2 5'-7> -'.

"pposition to i##i,ration 5'3>2 5'->5 -6'5

"pposition to EJKNAT" 5'33; 5'--- -B'.!"u#l$VP was referen)e ,roup'

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C' Austria 0P!"u#l$1 -..5 fro# +its)helt -..>

0N -B631

M effe)t on


esti#ate error P!"u#l$ 0see te9t1

Inter)ept 5'2; -'2-

(ar?et li*eralis# 5'B 5'-6 7'7

Authoritarianis# 5'-3 5'-6 6'.

Paro)hialis#Kra)is# 5'-3 5'-- 6'.

Gender 5'23 5'-; 2'-

A,e 5'5- 5'5- 6';Edu)ation 5'5. 5'5B >'3

usiness or far#er 5'5. 5'67 6'B

Professional 5'-2 5'2> 5'.

5'23 2'.

In Swit:erland/ opposition to the EJ is *% far the stron,est predi)tor of SVP

support/ followed *% e)ono#i) li*eralis# and so)io8)ultural )onservatis#'

Curiousl%/ onl% the disli?e of i##i,ration does not set the SVP apart fro#

other parties' It should not surprise us that the EJ issue is a vital )atal%st

for the ri,ht in the Alps' Histori)all%/ Christian de#o)rati) parties have *een

pro8inte,ration/ while the radi)al8ri,ht opposes this'


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to i##i,ration and the EJ that #a?e the #ost differen)e *etween the

)onstituen)ies of the P!"u#l$ and the other parties' 1 findin,s for the P!"u#l$ in -..5/ when e)ono#i)

#ar?et li*eralis# was *% far the stron,est predi)tor of P!"u#l$ support/ and so)io8

)ultural )onservatis# a)tuall% redu)ed the pro*a*ilit% that a respondent would vote

P!"u#l$' This is )onsistent with the h%pothesis that in -..5 the P!"u#l$4s appeal

was stron,l% =anti8statist populist4 0and thus free8#ar?et1/ while *% -... the part% had

#oved in a =new radi)al8ri,ht4 dire)tion and a)@uired a *lue8)ollar )onstituen)%/ whi)h

resulted in the effe)t of e)ono#i) li*eralis# *ein, far less pronoun)ed'

Thus/ the ideolo,i)al #a?e8up of the support for the SVP and P!"u#l$ is

)onsistent with our h%potheses a*out how these parties evolved in the-..5s' % -... the support for the SVP rese#*led that t%pi)al of a new

radi)al8ri,ht part% in ter#s of ideolo,%/ the onl% distin)tive feature *ein,

the e9tre#e salien)e of the EJ issue' In -..5/ the P!"u#l$ fit the profile of an anti8

statist populist part% drawin, support fro# a *road ideolo,i)al ran,e

with anti8)lientelist appeals and distin,uished if an%thin, *% the e)ono#i)

li*eralis# of its supporters' In the -..5s/ the part% relied far #ore on a

su))ession of diverse appeals/ #ost nota*l% opposition to i##i,ration' It

drew stron, wor?in,8)lass support and #uted its e)ono#i) li*eralis#' As

a result/ *% -... the support )onfor#s *roadl% to the patterns e9pe)ted of

a new radi)al8ri,ht part%/ *ut with rather less ideolo,i)al )ohesion/ dependin,

instead on issues su)h as i##i,ration and relations with the EJ'


19/21

)ase/ the predi)tions drawn fro# this )on)ept are virtuall% indistin,uisha*le fro# those

derived fro# the =wea?4 version of +its)helt4s 0-..>1 )on)ept of new radi)al8ri,ht parties/

differin, #ostl% in de,ree' et: and I##erfall e9pe)t the sa#e so)ial ,roups to *e

overrepresented as +its)helt/ *ut put #ore e#phasis on the proletariani:ation of these

parties in the -..5s' As a result/ he e9pe)ts stron, *lue8)ollar over8representation and for

the neoli*eral e)ono#i)s to pla% a s#aller role in the parties4 appeals' However/ et:

0-..;F B1 still e#phasi:es the stron, =produ)er ethi)4 of these parties that ree)ts so)ial

de#o)rati) e)ono#i)s/ and does not )lai# that neo8populist parties have *e)o#e wor?ers4

parties'

Thus/ althou,h these parties e#phasi:e their so)io8)ultural authoritarianis# and

9enopho*ia/ the% are still e9pe)ted to *e on the ri,ht e)ono#i)all% and to appeal to s#all*usiness owners' Thus/ it is hard to separate the predi)tions of the two )on)epts' "n the

other hand/ the Swiss SVP fits the )lassi) version of +its)helt4s =new radi)al8ri,ht4 part%

well/ *ut does not fit et:4s 0-..B1 di)hoto#% of neoli*eral and national populis#/ as it

)o#*ines *oth' The part%4s appeal and its supporters are ro*ustl% free8#ar?et$ however/

the part% also has a stron, nationalist appeal and does well a#on, *lue8)ollar wor?ers'

>

25-58>8. 5.FB7

Con)lusion

Despite winnin, a rather lar,er vote share/ the Austrian P!"u#l$ and Swiss SVP fit

into patterns si#ilar to other European =new radi)al8ri,ht4 parties' That is/ the%

)onfor# to the =winnin, for#ula4 for =new radi)al8ri,ht4 parties/ )o#*inin,

9enopho*i) appeals with free8#ar?et e)ono#i)s and so)io)ultural )onservatis#/

resultin, in an ele)torate in whi)h s#all *usiness owners/ far#ers/ retirees and *lue8

)ollar wor?ers are over8represented'

Durin, the -..5s/ *oth the P!"u#l$ and SVP have ,ravitated in this dire)tion'


20/21

)hara)teri:ation of the P!"u#l$ as a neo8populist part% is )onsistent with our data/

as their predi)tions on the )o#position of the part%4s ele)torates ,enerall% overlap

with those of a new radi)al8ri,ht part%'


21/21

far8ri,ht parties in the pro)ess' However/ durin, this period the SVP also won

)onsidera*le new white8)ollar support/ pro*a*l% due to the issue of European

inte,ration'

oth the P!"u#l$ and the SVP have #oved in a =new radi)al8ri,ht4 dire)tion in the

-..5s with see#in,l% s#all ele)toral trade8offs in ter#s of their e9istin, ele)torates'

However/ the% #a% fa)e severe trade8offs if the% are to ,row further' irstl%/ it is far

easier to *alan)e )onfli)tin, )onstituen)ies when a part% is in opposition and does not

have to #a?e *indin, de)isions'

oth the P!"u#l$ and the SVP too? part in ,overn#ent followin, the -...

ele)tion/ althou,h Haider and lo)her did not and thus were a*le to )ultivate an=outsider4/ @uasi8opposition stan)e' Nevertheless/ the sharp drop in P!"u#l$ support

in re,ional and #uni)ipal ele)tions after -.../ and in the 2552 national ele)tions/

illustrates the ris?s of ,overn#ent parti)ipation and ideolo,i)al diffuseness' The

politi)al effe)ts of lo)her *ein, ele)ted to the Swiss E9e)utive Coun)il followin, the

2556 ele)tions re#ain to *e seen' Se)ondl%/ *oth the P!"u#l$ and SVP have shown

that it is possi*le to win a *lue8)ollar )onstituen)% without losin, #iddle8)lass votes

*% )o#*inin, 9enopho*i) appeals with free8#ar?et e)ono#i)s' However/ the% #a%

well have full% e9ploited the sto)? of wor?in,8)lass voters/ who are not alienated *%

welfare state )uts/ and #iddle8)lass voters/ who are not alienated *%

9enopho*ia' inall%/ the P!"u#l$ and SVP/ as with =new radi)al8ri,ht4 parties

elsewhere/ are heavil% reliant on support fro# de#o,raphi) ,roups 0*lue)ollar

wor?ers/ the less edu)ated1 that are shrin?in,' or the P!"u#l$ and SVP to #aintain

their )urrent si:e/ let alone ,row/ will re@uire )onsidera*le politi)al )reativit%' This/

however/ is not to downpla% their si,nifi)an)e' As (in?en*er, 0255-1 de#onstrates/

in #ultipart% le,islatures/ far8ri,ht parties )an have )onsidera*le influen)e over

le,islation even in )ases where the% do not ta?e e9e)utive offi)e'-B

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The Radical Right in the Alps