Precarious employment in the form of low-pay or insecure jobs continues to be pervasive across Europe. Its constant growth since the 1980s, facilitated by the rise of the service sector and governmental deregulation, has further accelerated in the Great Recession. Extent and form of precarious employment do vary across states, but we still know little about which policies and institutions explain this variation. Moreover, only recently have scholars started to study political consequences of this major transformation of European labour markets. Do precarious workers differ in their political views and do political parties address the issue?

This panel will approach both political determinants and consequences of precarious employment. Concerning the determinants, Münn and Abrassart examine which policies have a beneficial effect on the individual economic security of women working in the service sector. Face-to-face services play a crucial role in providing employment for low-skilled workers. Nelson asks to what extent these jobs are linked to low pay and which institutions facilitate high employment shares in this segment. The other three papers deal with political consequences of labour market exclusion. While some research has already confirmed that labour market outsiders differ in their political preferences, Marx shows that this link depends on the mobility prospects of outsiders. Similarly, Galindo points out that the effect of labour market dualization on political behaviour varies over time along with the economic cycle. Finally, the analysis by Picot and Menendez reveals that precarious employment is increasingly becoming an important topic in party politics.