Szabó, A., Sebestyén A., Böcskei, B. (2026). The populist voter trap: why regime change may not endpopulism Lessons from Hungary’s electoral autocracy. Post-Soviet Affairs.

This article examines how demand-side populism evolves under long-term populist incumbency in an electoral autocracy, focusing on Hungary between 2010 and 2025. Drawing on two nationwide surveys, it shows that populist attitudes persist over time but are reconfigured across political blocs and dimensions. While some populist-aligned orientations decline, broader people–elite antagonism remains widespread. By 2025, populist attitudes are no longer confined to the governing camp but also appear among opposition and new challenger electorates, resulting in a hybrid populist electorate. The findings suggest that populism reflects deeply embedded societal attitudes that are reshaped rather than eliminated by regime change.