Researchers find a relationship between population declines in rural areas and support for populist radical right parties in 28 EU countries.
Earlier this spring, the Europe an Parliament voted to overhaul its immigration policy to more evenly distribute responsibility among member states for managing the arrival of migrants and asylum-seekers.
Younger voters leaving the countryside While it is commonly held that the electoral success of far-right parties is due to a backlash against newcomers, all this focus on immigration obscures another potent force behind this trend: emigration, or the movement of people out of a region or country. But while many people are aware of the economic ramifications this population flight creates, its impact on voters has been explored far less.
As a result, the country is now governed by a center-right minority coalition that depends on the support of the radical right populists. The political leanings of voters in depopulating regions also changed, from center-left to populist right. Here, emigration played a key role. As communities lose more and more of their working-age population, they experience a decline in public services – due both to dwindling numbers and a shrinking tax base. As a result, schools and hospitals are shuttered, public transportation is cut and local businesses close.
Quality-of-life declines While centrist politicians may feel compelled to adopt anti-immigrant stances in response, copying the rhetoric of radical right parties risks alienating their base.
Emigration Europe European Union (EU) Immigration Populism Right-Wing Populism Spain Sweden Sweden Democrats Young Voters
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