Territorial Loss and Nationalist Populism

Perry J. Carter, Grigore Pop-Eleches

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper highlights the overlooked role of prior grievances stemming from historical territorial loss as a significant factor behind support for nationalist populist parties. While not essential for the emergence of nationalist populism, territorial loss uniquely aligns with the backward-looking victimization framing crucial to these parties’ electoral success. Utilizing cross-national experimental and observational data from original surveys conducted in 2020–2021 in Romania, Hungary, Germany, and Turkey, we establish territorial loss attitudes as a robust predictor of nationalist populist party support. In addition to variations in national context, a trade-off emerges for governing populists, revealing that priming past losses attracts concerned voters but alienates those indifferent to territorial issues. Analyzing a quasi-natural experiment involving a new nationalist populist party that emerged in Romania between waves, we conclude that loss attitudes are stable over time and temporally prior to support for nationalist populism.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalComparative Political Studies
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Sociology and Political Science

Keywords

  • conflict processes
  • East European Politics
  • elections
  • irredentism
  • nationalism
  • populism
  • public opinion

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Territorial Loss and Nationalist Populism'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this