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Downward Mobility and Far-Right Party Support: Broad Evidence.
Alan M Jacobs1, Mark A Kayser2
1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Comparative Political Studies
|July 1, 2026
Summary
Downward social status loss, not gains, significantly predicts increased support for far-right parties across Europe. Long-term economic changes impacting occupational prospects are key drivers.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Political Science
- Sociology
Background:
- Debate exists on economic vs. cultural factors driving far-right party support.
- Social status, combining economic position and social esteem, offers a synthesized perspective.
- Previous studies suggest status loss influences far-right support, but empirical breadth is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct the broadest empirical assessment to date on the relationship between social status change and far-right party support.
- To investigate the specific impact of downward and upward social mobility on voting behavior.
- To analyze long-term status change using intergenerational occupational mobility.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of intergenerational occupational mobility across 11 European countries.
- Application of a modeling approach to disentangle status levels from status change.
- Statistical assessment of the relationship between mobility patterns and far-right voting.
Main Results:
- A strong relationship exists between social mobility and far-right support across the studied European nations.
- Downward occupational mobility significantly predicts increased support for far-right parties.
- Upward occupational mobility shows minimal effect on far-right party support.
Conclusions:
- Long-term economic forces negatively affecting native-born workers' occupational prospects contribute to the rise of far-right parties.
- Social status loss, particularly downward mobility, is a critical factor in understanding far-right electoral success.
- The asymmetry in findings highlights the distinct impact of status decline versus status improvement.
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