The Potential for Transnational Nationalisms in the European Party System

Abstract

Nationalist party families still are, despite the electoral success and representation of a multiplicity of nationalist parties, small party families in the European party system. Their electoral growth in the European party system has increased the potential for the Europeanization of minority and populist nationalist party families. However, this chapter dwells on three main factors that influence the prospects for their Europeanization. The different arenas for political competition in a multilevel political system have different effects for minority and populist nationalist party families. The uneven territorial presence of minority and populist nationalist party families in the European Union has constrained the Europeanization of both party families. The rules that define the aggregation of political parties into transnational coordination at the European level have impinged on Europeanization by providing mixed incentives to parties for transnational party coordination in the European party system.