Parties and Leader Effects

Abstract

In this article, I analyse whether the electorate of different party types attributes different degrees of importance to leaders, as suggested by a recent party typology. Based on expert advice, 15 parties in six democracies were assigned to the following party types: class-mass, denominational and catch-all. Individual level data are used to determine the relative importance of leader effects for voters of different types of party vis-à-vis other explanatory factors. The article shows that there are indeed statistically significant differences in the importance of leader effects concerning mass-based parties (class-mass and denominational) and catch-all parties. Electors of mass-based parties are less sensitive to leaders than electors of catch-all parties at the ballot box. This is in accordance with previous studies in the party literature regarding the emphasis placed by different parties on the leader during election campaigns, and is an introduction to the nature of the party as a contextual factor of voting behaviour.