Stabile Demokratien in wirtschaftlich schweren Zeiten?

Are democracies resilient in economically challenging times?Radical parties and populists have raised their popularity in Western democracies for several years. Studies show that economic factors also have a major impact on satisfaction with democratic institutions and support for populists and radical parties. If the economic situation is worse, the greater the support of citizens for populist and extremist movements. In economic challenging times, political stability in democracies is therefore under greater risk. Both the overall economic development and the individual's own economic situation and uncertainty are important for voting behavior. If the gap between rich and poor increase, more regions are left behind in national comparisons and the worse their (economic) prospects are, and the greater the economic insecurity, the greater the breeding ground for populist messages and radical views. A higher rejection of migration can also be linked to economic insecurity. In addition, the effects of globalization and economic crises are well documented. In many cases, economic shocks decrease confidence in the government, established political parties or the democratic system. This is the base for populists and antidemocratic parties. The popularity of populists is increasing across all income groups in regions that have been left behind. To strengthen democracy, social cohesion and economic resilience, the institutions of a (social) market economy, the further development of the education and training system, and effective structural and economic policies are important.