Elena Baro
Scholars have been trying to understand what unifies voters of populist parties and what the prototypical populist voter looks like. Elena Baro proposes a new perspective in the study of the demand-side, that of embracing what makes the study of populism challenging: its thin and chameleonic nature Read more
George Kordas
George Kordas argues that repeat elections can benefit democracy if democratic mechanisms function effectively, giving voice to people frustrated with the current system. But when, as in Bulgaria, elections produce paralysis, and old powers continue in office, this compromises citizens’ belief in democracy Read more
Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa
Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa & James F. Downes argue that the recent 2023 Spanish general election is likely to lead to further volatility and fragmentation in Spain on both the left and right of the political spectrum. In turn, this will make governing in Spain a very difficult task ahead in the future Read more
Alexandros Kyriakidis
Alexandros Kyriakidis argues that the era of political and financial crisis in Greece that spanned a decade seems to be coming to a close with the recent elections. This is demonstrated most vividly by the decline of SYRIZA, the party most closely associated with the anti-financial programme agenda Read more
Susannah Verney
The Greek election of May 2023 produced an unexpected destabilisation of the party system, and triggered a repeat election to be held five weeks later. Susannah Verney argues that the poll was variously viewed by voters as a second order election and a ‘system-defining’ choice Read more
José J. Sanmartín
José J. Sanmartín explores the significance of last month's midterm elections in the US, detecting deep undercurrents at work in American politics. These, he says, will not only shape the next presidential election campaign. They may also determine the United States’ vision of itself in the longer term Read more
Dario Mazzola
By the time Italians went to the polls in September, the victory of Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party was a foregone conclusion. Dario Mazzola articulates the factors that led to the formation of the most right-wing government in the history of the Italian Republic Read more
Franziska FN Schreiber
Despite harsh criticism of his government performance, Bolsonaro managed to attract significant public support in the recent election, writes Franziska F. N. Schreiber. The populist incumbent promoted voters’ trust by responding to their anxieties and uncertainties, and perpetuating myths Read more
