Economic crisis and party responsiveness on the left–right dimension in the European Union

Ben Clements,José Real-Dato,Kyriaki Nanou

doi:10.1177/1354068817736757

Ben Clements, José Real-Dato + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068817736757

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Abstract

The economic crisis within the European Union has had a significant impact on domestic politics in the member states, affecting the links between parties and citizens and accentuating the tensions parties face between governing responsibility and being responsive to public opinion. This article examines whether parties in EU countries have shifted their left–right ideological positions during the current crisis and whether such shifts are a direct response to the pressures of wider economic conditions or are more affected by changes in the preferences of the median voter. Party-based and citizen-based data are examined between 2002 and 2015, encompassing both the precrisis and crisis periods. The main findings are that the economic crisis has made parties less responsive to public opinion on the left–right dimension, and this effect is more pronounced for parties that have been in government.

Highlights

The economic crisis in the EU has had a multifaceted impact on domestic politics in the member states, reshaping relations between citizens, parties, and political institutions
The main results showed that, as expected, the crisis has made parties less responsive to public opinion on the left-right dimension: they have moved in the opposite direction to the shifts of the median voter
The effects were more pronounced for incumbent parties: they moved significantly to the right compared with parties not in office

Summary

Introduction

The economic crisis in the EU has had a multifaceted impact on domestic politics in the member states, reshaping relations between citizens, parties, and political institutions. Hypothesis One: The responsiveness of political parties to changes in the leftright preferences of public opinion will be weaker in those countries with worse economic conditions.

Results

Conclusion