The “second dimension” in Central Europe: a demand-side approach
P11-S274-1
Presented by: Jan Kovář
This article examines the issue content of the “second dimension” of political competition on the demand side of politics in Central Europe. The traditional two-dimensional space, characterised by economic and cultural dimensions, has been transformed in recent decades, but there is no agreement on the issue content of the cultural dimension. Some argue that the second dimension revolves primarily around cultural liberalism. In contrast, others say that it is primarily driven by globalisation and transnationalism and revolves around issues of immigration and EU integration. This article uses the European Values Study countries to investigate the issue content of the second dimension. It focuses on four issues: immigration, EU, gender, and environment. Using factor analysis, Mokken scale analysis, and regression analysis, it is found that the four issues load on the same factors and do not create a single coherent scale. Attitudes towards the four issues are also differently related to the radical right party support. The analysis of the relationship between individual attitudes towards the four issues and citizens’ preferences for radical right parties suggests that the second dimension in the region primarily revolves around immigration and EU issues. The article, therefore, suggests that the four issues should not be bundled together and that they do not form a single second dimension on the demand side of politics in Central Europe.
Keywords: immigration, gender, environment, EU, second dimension, citizens, radical right