Perceived victimhood in Italian politics: political ideology, populism, and economic grievance

This paper examines the dynamics of perceived victimhood in the Italian political landscape, highlighting its correlation with political ideology, populism, and economic distress. Utilizing original survey data, we investigate how individuals’ political alignment, particularly with far-right and populist parties, correlates with their sense of victimisation. Additionally, the research adapts a multidimensional victimhood scale from the U.S. to the Italian context, revealing a strong correlation between systemic and egocentric dimensions of victimhood. Findings show that perceived victimhood is especially prevalent among those with populist attitudes, right-wing affiliations, and lower economic status, underscoring the importance of economic and rhetorical factors in driving public sentiments of victimisation in Italy.