The Effects of Basic Human Values on Populist Voting. An Analysis of 13 European Democracies

Abstract

[EN] Basic human values have been used to predict voting patterns associated with the left–right and the authoritarian-libertarian divides. However, the connection between basic human values and populist voting has received less attention, especially if an ideational approach to populism is considered, that allows for separating it from traditional dimensions of competition. To fill this research gap, this article explores the relationship between basic human values and voting for left-wing populist parties (LPPs) and right-wing populist parties (RPPs), in 13 European democracies. The results suggest that values help explain voting for populist parties beyond the effect they have on preferences related to the economic left–right and the authoritarian-libertarian divides. First, basic predispositions reflecting tradition and conformity are negatively associated with voting for populist parties of the left and the right, thus suggesting a connection that is independent of the host ideologies to which populism attaches. Second, giving less importance to universalism and more to security correlates with voting for RPPs. Last, benevolence shows no effect on populist voting that is independent of other dimensions of political competition.