This paper studies whether affirmative action policies towards the outsider group may foster a backlash by the insider one. We exploit the unique historical context
provided by the legacy of apartheid in democratic South Africa. We found that the completion of the affirmative action legislation increases the support for far-right
parties in national elections by 0.2% to 0.3% on average. We documented that this effect is stronger in areas located closer to the territories of the former homelands.
We also found that affirmative action changed the voting intentions of the individuals. This effect is primarily driven by increased self-perceived economic insecurity.
Finally, we did not find evidence of an effect of the legislation on increased interethnic violence.