joint with Samuel Tschorne and Diego Gil

As democratic representation and party identification have deteriorated globally, political events are increasingly shaped by an “anti-establishment” sentiment marked by distrust towards political and socioeconomic elites. Recent studies link this sentiment to the rise of populist leaders, conspiratorial beliefs, and political violence. However, the strength and nature of this sentiment remain unclear, especially regarding whether a rejection of elites would lead citizens to forgo valuable social goods. Through a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) and adaptive survey, this study examines Chileans’ willingness to sacrifice well-being for greater congressional representation of candidates outside established political or socioeconomic elites. Results indicate a stronger anti-party sentiment than a desire for socioeconomic equity, with this preference persisting even when it involves sacrificing societal income. Anti-party sentiment is most pronounced among younger people, those without a clear left or right alignment, and those with strong views on partisan corruption.