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Robotic automation and right-wing populism: Do labor skills make a difference?

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  • Del Gatto, Massimo
  • Mavridis, Christos

Abstract

We study whether the share of right-wing populist parties is related to differences in substitutability / complementarity patterns between robots and workers belonging to different skill categories. Focusing on Italian provinces, we show that a one-unit increase of the sectoral estimate of the elasticity of substitution (EoS) between robots and unskilled labor in a province in the years between two elections increased the electoral share of populist right-wing parties in that province by 0.071 points. The EoS between robots and skilled labor has no effect. Neither elasticity affects the shares of left parties.

Suggested Citation

  • Del Gatto, Massimo & Mavridis, Christos, 2025. "Robotic automation and right-wing populism: Do labor skills make a difference?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:257:y:2025:i:c:s016517652500518x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2025.112681
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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