Abstract Although politicization has become a key concept in E uropean integration studies, it is still contested whether, when and to what extent issues have politicized domestic political arenas. This article contributes this discussion both conceptual empirical terms. It uses new multidimensional index of systematically trace the development national election campaigns five West countries ( A ustria, Britain, F rance, G ermany S witzerland) from 1970s 2010. The findings provide clear...

This paper starts from the premise that politicization of Europe is indicative a new structuring conflict involves set processes which put national political community under strain. has been emerging long before Euro and refugee crises. However, these crises may have reinforced potentially reshaped public conflicts within across countries. Therefore, traces during election campaigns in fifteen countries early 2000s up to 2017. The analysis focuses on way multiple affected level...

The article examines the politicisation of immigration in Europe during so-called migration crisis. Based on original media data, it traces national election campaigns 15 countries from 2000s up to 2018. study covers Northwestern (Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, and Switzerland), Central-Eastern (Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Romania), Southern (Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain). We proceed three interrelated steps. First, we show that crisis has accentuated long-term...

The article focuses on the party political spaces in four Southern European countries (i.e. Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain) since onset of Euro crisis. To understand emerging conflict structures, it argues for need to consider that these simultaneously face an economic crisis a both crises have strong domestic components. Moreover, major driving forces change tend be social movements parties forcefully combine opposition austerity “old politics.” This leads complex structure shaped by...

While there is increasing evidence that European integration has been politicised, knowledge of the driving forces this process still limited. This article contributes to research by examining importance authority transfers EU as drivers politicisation. It innovates in two ways. First, it extends transfer argument highlighting mobilising power membership conflicts; second, analyses relevance national opportunity structures, referenda particular, and strategies for Empirically, traces...

How much and why do political parties emphasize Europe in election campaigns? The literature is increasingly focusing on two aspects of party issue competition: position salience. However, recent studies salience tend to ignore the fact that a compound issue. This article contributes debate by highlighting crucial difference between constitutive policy-related European issues. Using data from Euromanifestos Project for 14 EU member states period 1979–2009, we first show more salient...

Zusammenfassung In diesem Beitrag skizzieren wir eine Forschungsagenda, die der Frage nachgeht wie sich Interaktionen zwischen Bewegungen und Parteien sowohl quantitativ als auch qualitativ unter Bedingungen funktionierender repräsentativer Verbindungen einerseits einer Repräsentationskrise andererseits unterscheiden. Die zentrale These lautet, dass von instabilen Repräsentationsmustern Bürger*innen, nicht ausreichend politisch vertreten fühlen, diese deutlich häufiger, enger, aber konflikt-...

The article provides the first large-scale study of protest activities by political parties. empirical analysis draws on original event data for 30 European countries based semi-automated coding news agencies. innovates (a) proposing a standardized indicator extent to which and electoral politics relate each other, (b) showing that parties’ involvement in protests differs across contexts, (c) mapping profile typical party-sponsored protesting party. Despite long-term trends toward...

Abstract This article links the consequences of Great Recession on protest and electoral politics. It innovates by combining literature economic voting with social movement research presenting first integrated, large‐scale empirical analysis mobilisation outcomes in Europe. The offers important insights how under what conditions crises play out short‐run. However, it tends to ignore closely connected dynamics opposition two arenas role protests politicising grievances. More specifically, is...

The Covid-19 pandemic triggered polarisation across Europe. While most citizens supported governments' containment measures, others took to the streets and voiced their dissatisfaction. article focuses on mobilisation potential related this heterogenous protest wave. It examines individuals that show sympathy are willing engage in anti-containment demonstrations based 16 waves of a rolling cross-section survey fielded Germany 2020/2021. results considerable stable potential: every fifth...

Polarisation over cultural issues and the emergence of radical, often populist, challenger parties indicate a fundamental restructuring political conflict in Western Europe. The emerging divide crosscuts and, part, reshapes older cleavages. This special issue introduction highlights how transformation cleavage structures relates to dynamics polarisation participation. contributions innovate two ways. First, they adapt concepts measures ideological affective context Europe's multi-party...

How do national referendums shape political contestation? This article explores this question by examining the politicization of European integration, a key “cleavage issue” restructuring conflict across Europe. While are often assumed to intensify public contestation over systematic comparative evidence remains limited. study contributes debate analyzing 87 debates on integration six Western countries (Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland), including 12 with...

Abstract This article explores public debates regarding Islam and Muslim immigration in Austria, Germany, Switzerland. The authors are interested which issues dominate the debates, actors participate, positions taken, arguments mobilised. Exploring three countries with an ethnic model of citizenship allows them to control for important cultural factors focus on other explanatory variables: dominant political participation, relationship between state church/Islam, strength right-wing...

The relationship between trust in representative political institutions and extra-representational participation (ERP) is contested. Generally, scholars have assumed that distrust a major source of ERP. However, empirical studies yielded inconclusive results. This article contributes to the debate by linking it recent on how contextual factors affect amount ERP interact with micro-level predictors. We take an innovative stance conceptualizing openness systems both institutional cultural...

In this Special Issue, we show that the study of civil society, social movements, and protest is central for assessing current state German politics. First, moving beyond political parties electoral politics delivers crucial insights into ideological, affective, organisational structuring emerging polarisation cleavages. Second, transformations in are closely interrelated with dynamics society. Building on these perspectives, contributions to Issue underline that, due emergence new...

This article addresses the questions of whether and why political parties respond to media-covered street protests. To do so, it adopts an agenda-setting approach traces issue attention in protest politics parliament over several years four West European countries (France, Spain, Netherlands Switzerland). The innovates two ways. First, does not treat as a unitary actor but focuses on responses single parties. Second, partisan characteristics are introduced that might condition effect...

Abstract Measures to cope with the COVID‐19 pandemic have put a sudden halt street protests and other forms of citizen involvement in Europe. At same time, has increased need for solidarity, motivating citizens become involved on behalf people at risk vulnerable more generally. This research note empirically examines tension between demobilisation activation potential crisis. Drawing original survey data from seven Western European countries, we examine extent, forms, drivers citizens’...