Does Affective Polarization Undermine Satisfaction with Democracy? The Evidence from European Countries

What is the effect of affective polarization on vote satisfaction? Previous studies have investigated various consequences of affective polarization, such as support of democratic norms, democratic backsliding, voting turnout, or ideological radicalization. However, the impact of affective polarization on attitudes toward democracy is limited to the acceptance of democratic norms rather than overall satisfaction with the system. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between affective polarization and satisfaction with democracy. I propose that moderately polarized people are more likely to be satisfied with democracy than those who have low and high levels of affective polarization. However, I expect that this relationship is contingent on voting for the governing party. To test this, this paper relies on the CSES survey data from 24 European countries. This study contributes to a better understanding of the effect of affective polarization on democratic attitudes.