What do members of parliament actually mean by left and right?

In the survey, MPs were invited to openly explain what they believe “left” and “right” mean. The responses show that economic issues dominate the understanding of both terms. The left is often associated with collectivism, economic redistribution, the welfare state, and equality. The right, in turn, is linked to individualism, low taxes, market economy, and privatization.

“But the concept of the right more often includes cultural values such as freedom, conservatism, and nationalism. This is a clear example of what scholars call ideological asymmetry: while the left is primarily understood in economic terms, the right has a broader meaning that also encompasses cultural values,” says Oskar Hultin Bäckersten, political science researcher at IBF and one of the authors of the study.

The study also shows that descriptions of left and right often reflect the ideological position of the MP. Left-leaning MPs emphasize solidarity and equality, while right-leaning MPs highlight entrepreneurship and individual responsibility. One third of the MPs express themselves in a tendentious way—that is, clearly negatively about the opposing side—but the vast majority of responses are neutral and fact-based.

“The results remind us that the left–right scale is not a simple compass, but a multifaceted way of talking about politics, values, and models of society—and they provide new insights into how politicians themselves think about ideology,” says Oskar Hultin Bäckersten.