Political participation and party attachment in Western democracies have become more and more volatile. In turn, political campaigns seem increasingly dependent on short-term discursive windows of opportunity opened by dynamic debates on issues such as migration, climate, employment and economic policies. Based on panel data from nine European countries, we investigate how patterns and changes in the materialist and postmaterialist concerns of respondents affect electoral turnout and party switching. By relating these variables, we aim to uncover whether and to what extent underlying concerns - and thus short-term politicization - account for short-term patterns of electoral volatility. We pay special attention to young respondents, who are often framed as being particularly dynamic and less bound to traditional political loyalties. Our findings offer insights into short-term change in discursive opportunities for political mobilization and broader democratic engagement.

Eppur si Muove! : Young People, Issue Salience and Volatility in Nine European Countries

Portos Garcia, Martin
2023

Abstract

Political participation and party attachment in Western democracies have become more and more volatile. In turn, political campaigns seem increasingly dependent on short-term discursive windows of opportunity opened by dynamic debates on issues such as migration, climate, employment and economic policies. Based on panel data from nine European countries, we investigate how patterns and changes in the materialist and postmaterialist concerns of respondents affect electoral turnout and party switching. By relating these variables, we aim to uncover whether and to what extent underlying concerns - and thus short-term politicization - account for short-term patterns of electoral volatility. We pay special attention to young respondents, who are often framed as being particularly dynamic and less bound to traditional political loyalties. Our findings offer insights into short-term change in discursive opportunities for political mobilization and broader democratic engagement.
2023
Settore GSPS-02/A - Scienza politica
Party attachment; electoral turnout; volatility; polarization; issue salience; young people; electoral volatility; party membership; ownership; terrorism; determinants; Netherlands; competition; patterns; election turnout
   Reinventing Democracy in Europe: Youth Doing Politics in Times of Increasing Inequalities
   EURYKA
   European Commission
   Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
   727025

   CONcentrating EXcellence in UC3M - Postdoc Programme
   CONEX-Plus
   European Commission
   Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
   801538
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11384/147166
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