Discontent in ‘left-behind places’? How perception of space and local political climate matter for the success of right-wing populism in rural areas of Germany

The ‘geography of discontent’ debate argues that discontent in ‘left-behind places’ is the root of the rise of right-wing populism in rural areas. Based on a qualitative analysis of group discussions, we examine why the right-wing populist party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is successful in some structurally weak rural areas, but not others. And why does it succeed in some structurally strong areas, yet fail in others? The derived heuristic model suggests that the interweaving of discontent with the limitation of opportunity structures and a centre-right local political climate explains high AfD vote shares in rural areas.