Dr. Stefan Rehak (p), Dana Kubenkova

Populist radical right parties known for populist, anti-immigrant, and Eurosceptic stances have gained varying
electoral support in the European Union. Slovakia is no exception and this study investigates the determinants of
support for populist radical right parties in Slovakia, focusing on spatial spillover effects and regional disparities.
Using spatial econometric models and panel data from 79 Slovak districts across three election cycles (2016,
2020, 2023), the analysis identifies both contextual and compositional factors influencing PRRP support. By
integrating advanced spatial econometric approaches, we revealed that variations in PRRP support arise not only
from the characteristics of a specific region (direct effect) but also from the influence of neighboring regions’
characteristics (indirect effect), emphasizing the role of spatial interdependencies in shaping political preferences.
The study highlights the need for regionally coordinated policies to address economic inequalities and
foster social cohesion. Findings of this study contribute to the broader discourse on populism and regional
development in CEE, underscoring the importance of targeted interventions in lagging regions to mitigate the
spread of populist narratives and strengthen democratic resilience.

Dr. Davide Luca (p)

Political discontent has become a defining feature of contemporary democracies, visible in declining trust in government, lower electoral participation, and the growing success of anti-establishment and populist parties. While influential accounts attribute these trends primarily to economic drivers, this paper argues that economic factors alone cannot explain the scale, timing, and spatial concentration of discontent. Instead, it advances a geographically grounded framework structured around five questions: who expresses discontent, why it has intensified, where it clusters, when it becomes politically consequential, and with what implications. Summarising the growing body of research on the geography of political discontent, the paper makes four main claims: (1) economic factors alone are insufficient to explain the rise of discontent; (2) perceptions are as important as factual reality to explaining political discontent; (3) geography and place play a role, not only as a background; (4) socialisation and social interactions are a key mechanism through which places shape individual political outlooks and behaviours.

Dr. Tania Fernández García, Prof. Andres Rodríguez Pose, Prof. Fernando Rubiera Morollón (p)

Over the last decade, a global rise in support for populist, anti-establishment, and radical political parties has been observed. To date, most of the economic literature examining the roots of the increase in anti-system political support has focused on the role of spatial income inequalities. However, the local areas with significant income gaps relative to their immediate surroundings constitute a clear minority. The objective of this paper is to analyse the contagion effect of political discontent arising from spatial income disequilibria. To test the proposed hypothesis, local-level data from Germany, France, Spain, and Italy were compiled. Local spatial units (municipalities or equivalent) are used to observe contagion processes at a highly disaggregated scale. Income inequality does not generate its strongest increase in anti-system voting within the municipality where it emerges, but instead produces a more pronounced electoral response in neighbouring territories. Political unrest may germinate in areas that don't matter, but it is greatly amplified in surrounding areas. These findings suggest that when a territory falls behind and no timely corrective action is taken, discontent can spread to nearby, more prosperous areas.