Sad Challengers and Happy Mainstreamers? An Analysis on Happiness and Political Alignment in 25 European Democracies

Previous studies have emphasized the role of happiness and well-being in shaping political behavior, suggesting that individuals with higher levels of life satisfaction are more likely to vote for conservative parties as a way to preserve this emotional state by maintaining the status quo. In this study, we offer a broader perspective: personal happiness and well-being are linked to support for mainstream political options, regardless of ideological orientation, while voting for challenger and anti-establishment parties is indicative of dissatisfaction with one’s personal circumstances. To test this hypothesis, we analyze electoral behavior towards both types of parties across 25 countries, using data from the latest round of the European Social Survey.