At Room for Discussion we engaged in a discussion about voting behaviour, populism and the future of the left. Why do people vote in the first place? And which factors determine whether someone votes to further their own self interest or in line with their idea of an ideal society?

Our guest was Didier Eribon, a renowned French author and philosopher and Professor of Sociology at the University of Amiens. His latest work, Returning to Reims (which became a bestseller in Germany and has just been translated into Dutch) assesses how class, sexual identities and one’s social environment influence people's voting behaviour. The book is a sociological study of the the working classes analysing their voting patterns (from voting for Communist Parties to the Nationalist Parties, e.g. the Front National).

Interviewers: Benji Kusters & Valentina Gianera
Music: Ruse by www.musicscreen.org