Civic engagement, political participation and the radical right in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

While the literature on mass society and social capital assumes a negative relationship between civic associationalism, political participation, social trust and populist radical right (PRR) voting, more recent studies provide more mixed evidence that fringe parties can mobilize support and consolidate by relying on complex networks of civil society organizations. However, these studies focus on supply-side explanations; there is little systematic evidence that includes demand-side evidence on PRR voting and civil society cross-nationally. Using survey data from two waves of the International Social Survey Programme, this article engages with demand-side explanations of PRR voting in five Central and Eastern Europe countries. The results show lower levels of associational membership and social trust but higher political participation among PRR voters when compared to voters of other parties. The article highlights the importance of taking into account demand-side explanations of fringe party politics.