16:50 - 18:30
P5-S106
Room: -1.A.02
Chair/s:
Jacob Edenhofer
Discussant/s:
Sophie Borwein
The times they are a-changin': How political attitudes change with energy prices
P5-S106-4
Presented by: Théo Konc, Jacob Edenhofer
Théo Konc 1, 5, Jan Christoph Steckel 2Jacob Edenhofer 4, Thomas Sterner 3, Jens Ewald 3
1 Wageningen University
2 Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change and Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus
3 University of Gothenburg
4 University of Oxford, Nuffield College
5 Research, Technical University Berlin, and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
We study the impact of the 2022-2023 energy crisis in Germany on political attitudes. We collect 4 waves of original panel data to measure how political stances change with increasing energy prices for households. Our difference-in-differences estimation exploits unique features of the German energy sector's billing routines, which allows for a quasi-experimental design. We show that increases in electricity payments lead to a decline in support for democratic institutions, with effects intensifying over time. We also find that the price shock increased support for the far-right populist party among people who have little trust in the responsible use of public money.
Keywords: Energy price shock, right-wing populism, redistributive attitudes, beliefs about government efficiency

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