Representing the Unheard? New Parties and Niche Parties Flashcards
niche parties
political parties that focus on a small set of non-economic issues, low emphasis on economic policy
- like immigration / environment / EU / social issues
issue salience: emphasis on ignored (non-economic) issues
what are new parties
entirely new political movement
no specific ideological characteristics
challenger parties
parties with no previous government participation
those without having had government power
mainstream parties
no niche party = parties that focus on the economic dimension
no new party = already existing parties
no challenger party = parties with government experience
their main dimension of political competition is left-right dimension.
what explains the success of new parties
spatial theory model
issue competition model
protest-vote model
what are the consequences of niche / new party entry
short term polarization
long term polarization
short term polarization consequences new / niche parties
legitimization effect + backlash effect
legitimization: New information about distribution of ideological preferences and social acceptability
backlash: Need to act against legitimization (speaking out!)
long term polarization consequences new / niche parties
more attention for radical party and their issue by media and competitors
more resources for radical party
persuasion on both sides
biased information processing and motivated reasoning
spatial theory model
Voters choose parties based on ideological proximity. Voters are more likely to support a party that aligns closely with their own preferences on the left-right spectrum. When established parties are perceived as ideologically distant, voters may seek out new parties that better match their views.
= the greater the left-right distance between a voter and the political parties in parliament, the more likely it is that the voter votes for a new party
new party closer ideological distance
issue competition model
new parties can gain support by addressing specific issues that established parties neglect. When voters feel that their priorities are not represented in the political agenda, they may turn to new parties that promise to focus on these overlooked issues. This model emphasizes the importance of issue salience in electoral behaviour.
= the less attention political parties in parliament spend on the issue which a voter prioritizes, the more likely it is that voter votes for a new party.
new party gives attention to issue voter finds important
protest-vote model
new parties can gain support as a form of protest against the established political elite. High levels of political dissatisfaction and distrust can motivate voters to seek alternatives, even if those alternatives share similar policy positions with established parties. This theory highlights the role of valence dimensions, such as integrity and competence, in influencing voter behaviour
= the more dissatisfied a voter is with politics, the more likely they are to vote for a new party.
new party as outage of political dissatisfaction
