New Parties and Their Electorate

Abstract

The electoral success of new political parties in the party systems of the European Member states continues. Those new parties managed to mobilize both non-voters and the electorate of established parties. The panel will examine the various aspects of electoral behavior and new parties and also the reactions of the older parties to these challenges. It will address questions such as: Who votes for these new parties? How can we explain various levels of electoral support of new parties in different elections and countries? Do young voters tend to support new parties more than older voters? How do the old parties react to the shift of the electorate: do they continue their old routines or try to imitate their infant competitors?