This paper analyses how social class positionings changed in the Portuguese social–symbolic space across two critical moments—before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal is to understand whether sociopolitical attitudes have become more traditionalist, insular, and right-wing due to social class polarisation. We mobilise multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis to visualise the changing social–symbolic space of the country between Rounds 9 (2019) and 10 (2021) of the European Social Survey. The results point to a polarisation in resources and a marked rift between urban and rural spaces after the pandemic. Among the precarious worker classes, ruralisation and dispossession translated into a shift from the left to the centre of the political spectrum, alongside increased traditionalism and social closure. We discuss the implications for the study of social classes in relation to labour market dualisation and social discontent at a time of rising radical-right forces.

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Social class,Sociopolitical attitudes,Portuguese social space,Labour market dualisation,Right-wing radicalisation

• Sociology - Social Sciences
• Other Social Sciences - Social Sciences