Majority of French, Austrian Voters View Globalisation as Threat
A majority of Austrian and French voters are concerned about globalisation, a study has found, identifying it as the top factor driving support for populist parties.
The findings of the survey by Germany’s Bertelsmann Foundation sharply contradict the image of populism projected by most of the mainstream media.
The survey showed
55 per cent of Austrian respondents and
54 per cent of French
view globalisation as a threat
but the numbers among people who support populist parties were much higher.
76 per cent of Front National (FN) supporters and 69 per cent of respondents who back the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) say they fear globalisation. This was also the case for 78 per cent of Germans who support the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Concerns over globalisation were a greater determinant of support for populist parties than other factors such as traditional values and economic anxiety, Reuters reported.
The results of the survey of 14,936 citizens in nations within the European Union (EU) come amid establishment fears ahead of Sunday’s presidential run-off vote in Austria, and the French presidential election next year in which FN candidate Marine Le Pen is expected to do well.
Traditional parties have grown increasingly worried about populism after Britain voted to leave the EU and Americans voted for Donald Trump, who ran on a platform of standing up for the interests of U.S. citizens, to be president.
