Political discontent has been rising in many Western democracies, often linked to economic insecurities, spatial inequalities, and demographic shifts. While the Nordic countries generally maintain high levels of trust in institutions, growing rural-urban divides may contribute to dissatisfaction, particularly in areas facing economic stagnation or demographic imbalances. This project synthesis examines spatial disparities across the Nordic Region and their association with electoral behaviour, particularly voter turnout and support for populist parties.
The findings indicate that while political discontent has not uniformly increased across the Nordic Region, rural areas consistently show lower voter turnout, while intermediate areas have higher support for populist parties. Socio-economic factors such as unemployment, lower education levels, and income stagnation correlate with higher populist voting, while areas with traditional, polluting industries show lower levels of discontent – suggesting the economic stability of these industries plays a role in maintaining trust.
Based on these insights, the synthesis outlines key policy recommendations for addressing regional inequalities and fostering inclusive development:
- Reduce territorial disparities by strengthening regional economic competitiveness and supporting stagnating and declining areas through targeted investments and innovation networks.
- Ensure that green jobs are high-quality jobs by providing stable employment with good wages and working conditions, ensuring that the green transition does not exacerbate economic insecurities.
- Invest in attractive communities to mitigate outmigration, particularly among young women, by improving access to housing, education, public services, and recreational opportunities.
- Strengthen public service provision to maintain quality of life in rural and remote areas, balancing local service availability with digital solutions.
- Strengthen citizen participation in policymaking to foster trust through open dialogue and meaningful engagement in decision-making processes.
- Promote electoral participation by addressing barriers to voting and increasing awareness, particularly among underrepresented groups.
This publication is part of the “Ensuring inclusive economic growth in the transition to a green economy (EnIGG)” project. The project analyses how the Nordic countries can accelerate the green transition towards a climate-neutral economy. The policy brief is part of a working package that looks into the distributive effects of climate policies and analyses how gaps between richer and poorer population groups and regions have developed since the last economic crisis. See also a complementary visual guide with insights into Nordic spatial variations in demographic, social, and economic characteristics.
