Does the rise in atypical work really explain populist party growth? This article challenges common narratives.

Contrary Wisdom: Dualization was thought to mobilize low-skilled workers globally.

But new analysis shows something different. Service sector employees with flexible jobs are more likely to abstain from voting.̸️ They don't drive populist surge.

Unexpected Driver: Skilled manufacturing workers, once considered protected insiders, now form the backbone of right-wing populist parties.̸️ This counterintuitive finding changes our understanding.

Why It Matters: The growing polarization in European party systems is rooted not in globalization's losers but in a political shift among industrial working-class groups.