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In this study we explain differences in far right preference between social groups and European countries by analysing the relevance of perceived economic versus cultural ethnic threats. We can statistically distinguish economic from cultural ethnic threats in most countries. The study reveals that cultural ethnic threats are a much stronger predictor of far right preferences than economic ethnic threats. This cultural versus economic distinction is also depicted in social class differences in far right preference. These are especially evident between socio-cultural specialists and technocrats, as anticipated by the new social class scheme. Socio-cultural specialists perceive especially less cultural ethnic threats compared to technocrats and consequently have a smaller likelihood to prefer the far right. However, when socio-cultural specialists perceive cultural ethnic threats, they are more likely to translate this into a far right preference than other social classes do. On the contextual level we find - contrary to our expectations – that higher levels of GDP in a country result in more far right preference, whereas higher levels of GDP do result in lower levels of ethnic threats. The effect of proportion of Muslims on far right preference is non-significant. This study contributes to existing research in three ways. First, this research demonstrates more detailed than previously that differentiating between economic and cultural ethnic threats contributes to the existing far right literature. Second, it shows that the new social class scheme proves its cross-national value and last, it reveals the effect that single countries can have on the results in cross-national research.