11:20 - 13:00
PS7
Room:
Room: South Hall 2B
Panel Session 7
Philippe Mongrain - I'm a Loser? Unexpected Election Outcomes and Satisfaction with Democracy
Shaun Bowler, Jack Vowles - “What properties of coalition governments do voters value?”
Elina Zorina - Distinctiveness in the Parliamentary Arena: Consequences for Democratic Legitimacy
Philipp Broniecki - Is there really a Winner-Loser Gap in Satisfaction with Democracy? Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Approach
Paul Vierus, Conrad Ziller - Time for a Change: How the Political Context Shapes Citizens’ Political Trust During Crisis
Time for a Change: How the Political Context Shapes Citizens’ Political Trust During Crisis
PS7-5
Presented by: Paul Vierus, Conrad Ziller
Paul VierusConrad Ziller
University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
So-called “rally around the flag” effects—that is, an increase in political support for incumbent governments—are well-documented responses to threats such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or a global pandemic. However, critical events and threats often require the implementation of unpopular political measures that challenge the current status quo of societal status arrangements and may thus elicit anger and eroding political support. Political measures may also become increasingly unpopular over time as they put a strain on civil liberties (e.g., in case of state surveillance) or require cuts in financial support and public services. This study examines citizens’ political support in the context of mass immigration, climate change, and gender equity. Specifically, we argue that change-adverse constituents particularly respond with eroding political support if two conditions are present at the same time: First, governments have actually implemented policies that potentially challenge the status quo, such as a liberal immigrant integration policy, a strong policy measures aimed at tackling climate change, or laws regarding gender parity (women's quota). Second, a successful (right-wing) populist party is present, which attributes blame to government authorities by rendering changes to the status quo as illegitimate and against the will of the “pure people”. Empirical results from longitudinal multi-level regressions using data from the European Social Survey combined with policy measures and share of votes for right-wing parties support the contention that the combination of liberal policies and right-wing populism represents a catalyst for eroding political support of citizens who oppose change to the status quo.