Last week was another full one for our team as we headed to #EPSS in Belfast. Great talks, sharp discussions, and genuinely valuable feedback all around. Thanks to @epssnet.bsky.social for an excellent first conference. Copenhagen, we’re coming for you next year! 🌟

Just days to go until #EPSS2026 We’re excited to have 8 colleagues attending and presenting new research, take a look at the overviews to find out what they will be presenting and where.👁️ We're happy to connect, so feel free to come over and chat!⭐

📣 PhD vacancy in voting behavior - only 2 weeks left to apply! Will you become our new colleague? 🤗 All info is here 👉 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

1 doctoraatspositie in kiesgedrag

1 PhD position to research how parties build connections with social groups

kuleuven.be

🚨New publication (with Shane Singh) in @poqjournal.bsky.social! Proponents of compulsory voting often claim that obligatory turnout will increase citizens' political involvement, equalising levels of democratic attitudes and political engagement in the electorate. But does it? 👇

Does Compulsory Voting Improve Democratic Attitudes and Engagement? Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Belgium

Abstract. For over a century, scholars, policymakers, and advocates have argued that compulsory voting not only boosts turnout but also promotes prodemocra

academic.oup.com

Een vaak gebruikt argument van voorstanders van de opkomsplicht is dat het de algemene betrokkenheid bij de politiek verhoogt omdat alle kiezers zich meer zullen informeren. In ons onderzoek rond de Belgische lokale verkiezingen van 2024, vinden we geen steun voor dit argument!

Does Compulsory Voting Improve Democratic Attitudes and Engagement? Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Belgium

Abstract. For over a century, scholars, policymakers, and advocates have argued that compulsory voting not only boosts turnout but also promotes prodemocra

academic.oup.com

w/ @rdassonneville.bsky.social, presenting joint work on the electoral cross-pressures of workers in WE @ - @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social Seminars, Leuven, Tue 9 June 11 AM CET - 2026 Etmaal, Gent, Fri 12 June 9 AM CET (Workshop #14) - @epssnet.bsky.social, Belfast, Sat 20 June 9 AM BST (EL23) 2/4

Bart Maddens is deze week in Bogotá om de presidentsverkiezingen (31 mei) van dichtbij te volgen via participerende observatie. Zondag woonde hij de slotmanifestatie bij van de centrumrechtse kandidate Paloma Valencia. Zij wordt misschien de eerste vrouwelijke presidente van Colombia!

Very excited to welcome @fedetrastulli.bsky.social in our team!!🥳🤗

Federico Trastulli@fedetrastulli.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🧵🆕 A long overdue update after a few intense months to start off 2026. Incredibly grateful to be able to share that I was awarded a Junior Postdoctoral Fellowship by @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social. 1/11

‼️ New paper with Ian McAllister (ANU) out at @respol.bsky.social. We use @ess-survey.bsky.social data to study over-time changes in the association between education and left-right self-placements.

Research & Politics@respol.bsky.social · 2mo ago

@rdassonneville.bsky.social & McAllister show that education divides voters less by changing opinions than by changing political labels, as immigration increasingly shapes how Europeans understand left and right. Read more here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

🚨 I'm recruiting a PhD student for a new project on Parties' social group ownership, based in the @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social research group at KU Leuven! Deadline for applying is 26 June, estimated starting date is 1 Oct 2026. All info is here 👉 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... Share widely!

1 doctoraatspositie in kiesgedrag

1 PhD position to research how parties build connections with social groups

kuleuven.be

Today, @bramwauters.bsky.social wrapped up his Francqui chair lecture series with a lecture on the role of heuristics in voting behaviour. Over the last few months, Bram has already given 4 other lectures at the @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social at KU Leuven.

Het nieuwe @sampolmaandblad.bsky.social nummer ligt nu in de boekhandel, en daarin lees je mijn tweede column! Ik heb het daarin over hoe het beeld dat burgers van democratie hebben, bepaalt of ze een verval van de democratie opmerken, en kunnen tegenhouden.

🎉Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming @elinakk.bsky.social and @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social. Their engaging seminars on child-parent socialisation of political values and critical political trust, along with valuable exchanges with our team, made for two inspiring days. 📸 Some highlights below.

Voor De Gids op Maatschappelijk Gebied schreef ik een stuk over de rol van identiteit om stemgedrag te verklaren. Ondanks maatschappelijke veranderingen en groeiende volatiliteit blijft identiteit van belang! 🔗 visie.net/de-gids-arti... @visiemagazine.bsky.social | @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social

We kiezen nog steeds met onze groepsidentiteit

De afgelopen decennia is het kiesgedrag in België fundamenteel veranderd. Kiezers zijn volatieler...

visie.net

We have a new Linked-In page 🤩 Don't miss our upcoming events and news! Follow us here👇 www.linkedin.com/company/voti...

Voting and Democracy Research Group | LinkedIn

Voting and Democracy Research Group | 8 followers on LinkedIn. Research group focused on elections, youth and politics and crisis of democracy. | The Voting and Democracy Research Group studies electo...

linkedin.com

Don’t forget to register for our upcoming lecture on March 26 at 16:30! 👉 lnkd.in/eeazeQyX

Voting & Democracy Research Group - KU Leuven@vd-researchgroup.bsky.social · 5mo ago

De @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social ontvangt prof. @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social (UvA) voor een publiekslezing rond over ‘Waardenloze politiek: hoe politici de democratie klem zetten tussen technocratie en populisme’! 🗓️ Donderdag 26 maart om 16u30 📍Parkstraat 47 3000 Leuven 📝Registreer: lnkd.in/eeazeQyX

De @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social ontvangt prof. @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social (UvA) voor een publiekslezing rond over ‘Waardenloze politiek: hoe politici de democratie klem zetten tussen technocratie en populisme’! 🗓️ Donderdag 26 maart om 16u30 📍Parkstraat 47 3000 Leuven 📝Registreer: lnkd.in/eeazeQyX

PhD successfully defended! "Beyond the Two-Party Divide" examines how affective polarization works in Europe, and when it matters for democracy. Short answer: Europe's multiparty systems have particularly good "safeguards" to prevent polarization from spiraling out of control like in the U.S.

People who want redistribution are often dismissed as being driven by an ugly emotion: envy. Our new paper in #PSPB challenges this widespread narrative. We show that support for redistribution is less driven by envy and more by the belief that the rich do not deserve their advantage. 🧵⬇️

Politics of Envy? Meritocracy Beliefs, Not Envy, Drive Support for Redistribution - Jasper Neerdaels, Lisa Blatz, Jan Crusius, 2026

Support for redistribution is often dismissed as driven by a morally questionable motive: Malicious envy. Seemingly supporting this notion, in some studies, lib...

journals.sagepub.com

Had a great time presenting work with Richard Nadeau at the CPPE colloquium in Konstanz. Thanks @na-wehl.bsky.social et al for the invite and super helpful suggestions! Sunrise over the lake in the morning was a nice bonus! @excinequality.bsky.social | @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social

Glad to see our paper on religious cleavages in Western Europe (with @melff.bsky.social & Kamil Marcinkiewicz) out at the @ejprjournal.bsky.social ! 

 cup.org/4qhTx3j

Cambridge University Press Political Science & IR@cambup-polsci.cambridge.org · 7mo ago

#OpenAccess from @ejprjournal.bsky.social - After secularisation? A comparative analysis of religious cleavages in Western Europe - https://cup.org/4qhTx3j - @melff.bsky.social, @rdassonneville.bsky.social & Kamil Marcinkiewicz #FirstView

📢 New publication 📢 We are pleased to shine the spotlight on Toine Paulissen's PhD (‪@vd-researchgroup.bsky.social - KU Leuven)! 👉 The PhD summary by @toinepaulissen.bsky.social : doi.org/10.54195/plc... 👉A critical review by @theresareidy.bsky.social : doi.org/10.54195/plc... #openaccess

📢 The Voting & Democracy Research Group is thrilled to invite you to a book talk by Professor Natasha Wunsch on her recent publication, “Democratic Commitment: Why Citizens Tolerate Democratic Backsliding”. 🗓️ 20 January 2026 at 2:00 p.m. in room FSW 03.155. 📝 Registration: lnkd.in/dQGFXSiJ

❗Glad to share the entry on 'Economic voting' that Chloé De Grauwe and I contributed to the brand new @ipsa.org Companion to Political Science ! link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/...

Economic Voting

link.springer.com

Starting the new year with a new #openaccess #publication! In our article, we explore why citizens oppose taxes while simultaneously demanding more redistributive social policies, aka want "something for nothing". @olivierjacques.bsky.social @staffankumlin.bsky.social @dweisstanner.bsky.social

Why Some Want Something for Nothing: Three Explanations for Unfunded Spending Demand

Several studies have documented ‘something for nothing’ (SFN) attitudes among citizens: preferences for increased government spending and lower taxes. Such a demand for unfunded public spending may g...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

The Voting and Democracy Research Group welcomes Professor Rune Stubager (Aarhus University) for a keynote presentation. 🗓️ Friday 23 January 2026, 11h00 📍 Aula Emma Vorlat (campus Faculty of Social Sciences KU Leuven) ℹ️ Info: lnkd.in/dMvzG36U 📝 Registration (by 14 January 2026): lnkd.in/dZ3ZBSGh

🚨Working on economic inequality perceptions and support for redistribution? Sonja Zmerli and I are coordinating a Section about perceived economic inequality at the next @ecpr.bsky.social's General Conference. 👉 Do consider submit your paper! ecpr.eu/Events/Event... @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social

Exploring the intricacies of citizens' economic inequality perceptions and their redistributive correlates: Ill-informed, attitudinally incoherent, or predictably irrational?

European Consortium for Political Research

ecpr.eu

‼️ Onze onderzoeksgroep @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social verwelkomt dit academiejaar @bramwauters.bsky.social als Francqui leerstoelhouder! 📆 Het openingscollege gaat door op 2 dec om 17u30 Voor meer info en om in te schrijven voor dit *niet te missen* college, zie hier soc.kuleuven.be/afdeling-pol...

This is fun, our research on political trust and social policy was featured at the Portuguese national news 😎 www.rtp.pt/play/p14263/... (less fun, they didn't cite us properly, but hey) #Hiva @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social @kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social

With the start of the new academic year, we're planning more talks at @vd-researchgroup.bsky.social! Looking forward to welcoming @bjornhoyland.bsky.social in Leuven on Monday 20 October. If you're around and would like to attend, more info is here 👇 soc.kuleuven.be/afdeling-pol...