Responses to Parties Challenging Democracy and their Consequences

Abstract

The emergence of extremist or populist political parties in democratic countries brings varied responses from governments, elites, and traditional parties. Some countries have chosen to legally ban these parties from organizing or competing in elections; others have sought to limit their influence and exclude them from government coalitions; still others have accepted them as legitimate governing partners. This panel aims to develop a better understanding of the institutional and political responses to these challenges to democracy in Europe and other democratic countries. Which parties are viewed as a threat to democracy? How and why do governments and established political parties respond differently to them? What are the consequences for the party system, the future electoral fortunes of these parties, and citizen attitudes to the issues promoted by them? Finally, what are the normative implications of these responses for democracy at large? We welcome papers dealing with these topics, particularly those that adopt a comparative approach.

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From Pim Fortuyn to Geert Wilders: Ten Years of Polarisation in the Netherlands	View Paper Details
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Responses to Parties Challenging Democracy and their Consequences: a Cross-National Comparison	View Paper Details
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