Vaccination behavior of AfD voters: How political attitudes influence

Vaccination behavior of AfD voters: How political attitudes influence

The willingness to vaccinate in Germany is not just a question of health, but also an indicator of deeper social and political currents. A new study from the Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg examines the vaccination behavior of supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) during the corona pandemic. The results show that AfD voters are on average 28 percentage points less likely to be vaccinated than voters of other parties. This raises interesting questions about the role of political identification in health behavior.

The study, published in the Cologne Journal of Sociology and Social Psychology, explores the reasons for this significant discrepancy. A crucial finding is that such differences in willingness to vaccinate cannot be explained by demographic factors such as age or education or by personal stress during the pandemic. Instead, political attitudes play a central role. According to the study, the perception of the pandemic as a threat to personal freedoms in particular has a major influence on willingness to vaccinate.

Influence of the political mood

In addition, a feeling of political non-representation influences willingness to vaccinate. Many AfD supporters do not feel adequately represented by the established parties, which negatively influences their decision to get vaccinated. These observations are not only relevant to the current discussion, but could also be important for future public health measures and vaccination campaigns.

The study is based on representative surveys of 7,762 people carried out between March and October 2021. In addition to willingness to vaccinate, demographic data, personal pandemic experiences and trust in politics and society were also recorded. The analysis thus lays the foundation for a deeper examination of the influence of political identity on individual actions.

Populism and voting behavior

When looking at the AfD in the broader political context, it becomes clear that the party was unable to gain support among voters during the pandemic. An analysis shows that the AfD even lost by 2.3 percentage points in the 2021 federal election. Their populist strategy of fundamental opposition did not find the support they had hoped for, as the base of AfD supporters was strongly divided over preferences for measures to contain COVID-19. Individual impact was another important factor and contributed to the fact that the AfD's share of the vote was lower in regions that were particularly hard hit by the pandemic.

It was also found that the COVID-19 crisis did not offer the same opportunities for mobilization as previous crises, such as the financial crisis or the refugee crisis of 2015/2016. The diverging views within the AfD electorate appear to be strongly influencing voting behavior, as evidenced by novel data on voter attitudes and regional pandemic severity.

Future of Eurosceptic parties

In a larger European context, the voter potential for Eurosceptic parties has increased. Significant gains for such parties are expected for the European elections in June 2024. A recent study shows that in a third of EU countries, anti-EU forces could end up in first place, while in another third they are expected to come second. In Germany, support for Eurosceptic parties, especially the AfD, has doubled to 26 percent.

Citizens' concerns about inflation, international security, migration and climate are deep-rooted and contribute to skepticism towards the EU. This skepticism can be seen in view of the inadequate fulfillment of expectations of EU policy. Susi Dennison from the ECFR think tank criticizes the fact that many citizens feel excluded from big decisions. This assessment illustrates how political uncertainties influence the social climate in Europe.

In summary, the study of the vaccination behavior of AfD supporters shows that political identity and individual experiences are deeply linked in times of crisis and could ultimately influence the future of populist parties in Europe. The interactions between social trends and individual health are complex and deserve careful consideration.

For further information about the study by the Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg, please visit uni-bamberg.de. For information on analyzing voter preferences, see pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. You can find details about the European perspective and the upcoming elections at tagesschau.de read up.