Economic determinants of voters' behavior in the 2024 Romanian parliamentary elections

This paper aims to evaluate the link between economic factors and electoral preferences in the 2024 Romanian parliamentary elections. Using the economic voting framework, this study analyses the complex interplay between macroeconomic variables and electoral behavior in legislative elections. Since retrospective, pocketbook, and sociotropic voting are key elements that characterize the Romanian electoral landscape, the study focuses on the links between economic factors and party preferences and incumbent party reelection. Our methodological design enables us to evaluate the real impact of economic variables. Empirical findings suggest that the average net salary and regional economic development are positively related to electoral decisions and reelection of the incumbent party. Unemployment rates are predictors for left-wing parties, and average net salary is more likely to be related with right-wing political parties. The study highlights several limits of economic voting in the 2024 Romanian parliamentary elections, stressing the importance of cultural, historical, and socio-psychological factors in their interplay with economic variables in order to shape electoral decisions.