UNTWIST briefing 06: Distinct Grievance Pathways to the Populist Radical Right: The Gender Dimension in Contemporary Europe

This briefing analyses how gendered experiences of relative deprivation are associated with support for right wing populist parties (RWPP across Europe, drawing on original data from the Horizon Europe UNTWIST survey . It shows that gender related grievances constitute an autonomous and politically relevant dimension of contemporary discontent. While they do not replace economic explanations linked to globalisation, they operate alongside them as a complementary driver of electoral realignment.

The analysis distinguishes between two related but analytically distinct profiles: Gendered Positional Deprivation (GPD) and Losers of Feminism (LF) LF). GPD refers to individuals who experience feelings of relative deprivation and interpret aspects of their situation through a gendered lens, without necessarily attributing their condition to feminism. LF represent a smaller but more polarised subgroup who explicitly link their perceived disadvantage to feminist advances and express resentment towards feminism itself. LF thus capture a more politicised and high intensity form of gender grievance Building on this distinction, the briefing advances three interrelated contributions to the understanding of RWPP support. First, it conceptualises gendered positional deprivation as an analytically distinct dimension of contemporary relative deprivation, separate from but complementary to globalisation related grievances.

Second, it demonstrates that gender related grievances are internally differentiated , combining materially grounded and symbolically mediated mechanisms that operate differently across genders. Third, it shows that gender related and globalisation related grievances represent partially independent yet electorally convergent pathways into RWPP support.

Findings indicate that approximately one in four women and one in five men experience GPD, while LF constitute around one per cent of the population . Despite their small size, these groups are politically consequential. Nearly one third of RWPP voters report some form of Gendered Positional Deprivation , and both GPD and LF are strongly associated with support for RWPP when compared with mainstream right and left electorates. Importantly, profiles linked to gender grievances and those linked to globalisation related grievances only partially overlap, suggesting distinct but convergent pathways into support for the same political actors.

Multivariate analyses further indicate that dissatisfaction with changing gender roles and perceptions of being disadvantaged by feminist advances are among the strongest correlates of RWPP support . The magnitude of these associations is comparable to globalisation related grievances and more salient than several socio demographic predictors such as age or income. These findings reflect robust cross sectional associations rather than causal relationships and should be interpreted within diverse national contexts.

The results underline that gender resentment is not a peripheral cultural issue but a politically consequential dimension of contemporary democratic politics. When feelings of gendered unfairness or status threat are not acknowledged within democratic frameworks, they can be mobilised by RWPP actors through simplified and polarising anti gender narratives.

Policy responses should therefore recognise gendered grievances as politically relevant signals of insecurity without legitimising anti gender frames. Effective strategies require combining material and symbolic measures: addressing economic precarity, employment instability, and access to services while also reframing gender equality as a non zero sum process emphasising shared benefits, reciprocity, and social cohesion. Avoiding dismissive or polarising rhetoric is crucial, as grievance prone citizens often react more strongly to perceived disdain than to ideological disagreement. Strengthening institutional responsiveness and supporting civil society mediation can further reduce the political appeal of anti gender mobilisation.

By integrating gender systematically into the analysis of relative deprivation, the UNTWIST survey provides an evidence based foundation for policy approaches that uphold gender equality while responding constructively to emerging forms of democratic discontent.