A new INVENT study published in the journal Information, Communication & Society examines how media use and cultural orientations shape support for radical right-wing parties across Europe.
The study, conducted by Marc Verboord, Riie Heikkilä, Susanne Janssen, and Semi Purhonen, draws on survey data collected in 2021 in nine European countries: Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The researchers explored how broader sociocultural values, media consumption, and cultural tastes relate to voting for radical right-wing parties, which have become increasingly influential in European politics in recent decades. These parties are often associated with xenophobia, anti-elitism, intolerance towards minority groups, and criticism of democratic institutions.
The findings show that broader “cultural backlash” attitudes are the strongest predictors of support for radical right-wing parties. However, media use and cultural preferences also play an important role. People who rely more on public broadcasters and newspapers tend to show lower levels of support for radical right-wing parties, while those who consume more commercial television and online video platforms are more likely to support them.
The study also highlights important national differences. While many of the overall patterns were similar across countries, Serbia and Croatia stood out as cases where the relationship between media use, cultural orientations, and radical right-wing voting differed more strongly from the other countries studied.
According to the researchers, the findings demonstrate the importance of considering both cultural values and media environments when analysing the rise of radical right-wing politics in Europe.
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement