Sciences Po Political Behavior Seminar

Upcoming

1 December 2025

Cristobal Rovira Kaltwasser, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

Mainstream Roots, Radical Outcomes: Tracing the Origins of Far-Right Support

We examine the origins of far-right support, particularly voters’ prior partisan or ideological affiliations and how their preferences have evolved over time relative to the general electorate. Using longitudinal data from Chile—where the far right has only recently emerged—provides a unique opportunity to trace these dynamics. Contrary to common assumptions, our findings suggest that far-right supporters primarily come from the mainstream right rather than the center, left, or politically disengaged groups. Moreover, their views on key issues diverged from majority opinion even before the far right’s rise, and these gaps have since widened.