Partisan affect and political tolerance in the context of shifting norms
- Author(s)
- Jochem Vanagt, Katrin Praprotnik, Luana Russo, Markus Wagner
- Abstract
Mainstream political actors in many countries face the challenging decision of how to engage with radical-right parties. While some systematically exclude them from power, others accept them as coalition partners. This paper examines the consequences of mainstream-right actors signaling their willingness to govern with the radical right. We use survey experiments in Germany, Flanders, Spain, and Austria (N = 5594) to examine the effects of coalition signals on three outcomes: party affect, social distance, and political tolerance. Our results indicate that signaling cooperation is a double-edged sword. While it diminishes mutual dislike between radical-right and center-right supporters, and leads center-right supporters to become more politically tolerant of the radical right, it simultaneously intensifies antipathy from center-left supporters towards the center right. This suggests that potential mainstream cooperation with the radical right serves to shift, rather than reduce, political divisions. Effects are similar across the four cases, with no evidence that an elite-led cordon sanitaire moderates the impact of coalition signals. Our findings help inform debates surrounding the desirability and consequences of engaging with radical-right actors.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Political Science, Department of Government
- External organisation(s)
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, University of Antwerp, Department of Public Law and Political Science, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Maastricht University Medical Center
- Journal
- Journal of European Public Policy
- ISSN
- 1350-1763
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2025.2558980
- Publication date
- 2025
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 506014 Comparative politics
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Sociology and Political Science, Public Administration, Political Science and International Relations
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/fe4e327c-a6ab-4873-93d0-b4add69d6cbf