Work

The Promise of a Better Past: Media, Authoritarian Nostalgia, and the Far Right

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The rising electoral support for far-right parties has sparked vibrant debates about the sociopolitical dynamics driving this phenomenon. This paper investigates a crucial yet underexplored dimension: the interplay between media consumption, authoritarian nostalgia, and far-right voting behaviour. Focusing on Spain and Portugal – two countries with distinct yet comparable histories of authoritarian rule – survey data analyses suggest that readers of ABC in Spain and Correio da Manhã (CdM) in Portugal may develop higher levels of authoritarian nostalgia, which in turn correlates with a higher probability to support VOX and Chega, respectively. A content analysis conducted on these newspapers indicates that this pattern may be driven more by the tone adopted by the tabloid (CdM) and conservative ( ABC ) newspapers when discussing the authoritarian past rather than by higher levels of authoritarian nostalgia compared to other newspapers. This study contributes to political communication research by highlighting a mechanism through which media narratives shape historical perceptions and electoral choices.

Source: The International Journal of Press/Politics

DOI: 10.1177/19401612261415688

Authors: Luca Manucci, Hugo Marcos-Marne, Yani Kartalis

Institutions: University of Lisbon, Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa, Universidad de Salamanca, University of Copenhagen

Language: English

Topic: Populism, Right-Wing Movements

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900