Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across Europe
This paper is a configurational analysis that creates a new theoretical elaboration of populist parties in Europe in terms of policy choices. The forms of populism that we can see in contemporary Europe are new, relevant and do not have a theoretical representation in the literature. This paper also...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Sciendo
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Central European Journal of Public Policy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/cejpp-2023-0004 |
| _version_ | 1797660966506201088 |
|---|---|
| author | Cossu Elena |
| author_facet | Cossu Elena |
| author_sort | Cossu Elena |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper is a configurational analysis that creates a new theoretical elaboration of populist parties in Europe in terms of policy choices. The forms of populism that we can see in contemporary Europe are new, relevant and do not have a theoretical representation in the literature. This paper also provides a clearer understanding of the characteristics of populist and anti-establishment parties in Europe, which can provide valuable insights into likely responses to reformed policy environments. To do so, the paper analyses policy positions connected to the populist literature for 242 parties in Europe in 2014 and 2019 using the Chapell Hill Expert Survey and the PopuList Survey data. Groups of parties with similarly held positions in 2014 and 2019 are identified using cluster analysis to investigate whether differences in positions are defined predominately according to a national, east–west, right–left faction or other criteria. The result highlights that rather than across a classical right–left divide connotation, Europe can be divided into four clusters: right-wing populists, a moderate pro-Europe left, a pro-Europe pro-liberalism centre and an intersectional left based on identity politics. Overall, the moderate left and the centrist liberalism centre are the most common parties across Europe, and the other two factions seem to be born as a reaction to these two. However, the other two factions are growing over the years, especially the populist right-wing in Central and Eastern Europe. This brings to light serious policy implications for the future of the European Union and for considering populism simply as a discursive matter. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:37:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2b432053835b45988ad12ed1ee9d5755 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1802-4866 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:37:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Central European Journal of Public Policy |
| spelling | doaj.art-2b432053835b45988ad12ed1ee9d57552023-10-12T14:08:10ZengSciendoCentral European Journal of Public Policy1802-48662023-06-01171415410.2478/cejpp-2023-0004Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across EuropeCossu Elena01Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest, HungaryThis paper is a configurational analysis that creates a new theoretical elaboration of populist parties in Europe in terms of policy choices. The forms of populism that we can see in contemporary Europe are new, relevant and do not have a theoretical representation in the literature. This paper also provides a clearer understanding of the characteristics of populist and anti-establishment parties in Europe, which can provide valuable insights into likely responses to reformed policy environments. To do so, the paper analyses policy positions connected to the populist literature for 242 parties in Europe in 2014 and 2019 using the Chapell Hill Expert Survey and the PopuList Survey data. Groups of parties with similarly held positions in 2014 and 2019 are identified using cluster analysis to investigate whether differences in positions are defined predominately according to a national, east–west, right–left faction or other criteria. The result highlights that rather than across a classical right–left divide connotation, Europe can be divided into four clusters: right-wing populists, a moderate pro-Europe left, a pro-Europe pro-liberalism centre and an intersectional left based on identity politics. Overall, the moderate left and the centrist liberalism centre are the most common parties across Europe, and the other two factions seem to be born as a reaction to these two. However, the other two factions are growing over the years, especially the populist right-wing in Central and Eastern Europe. This brings to light serious policy implications for the future of the European Union and for considering populism simply as a discursive matter.https://doi.org/10.2478/cejpp-2023-0004policy positionspoliciespopulismeurope |
| spellingShingle | Cossu Elena Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across Europe Central European Journal of Public Policy policy positions policies populism europe |
| title | Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across Europe |
| title_full | Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across Europe |
| title_fullStr | Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across Europe |
| title_short | Clustering and Analysing Relevant Policy Dimensions of Populist, Left-Wing, Centrist, and Right-Wing Parties across Europe |
| title_sort | clustering and analysing relevant policy dimensions of populist left wing centrist and right wing parties across europe |
| topic | policy positions policies populism europe |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/cejpp-2023-0004 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cossuelena clusteringandanalysingrelevantpolicydimensionsofpopulistleftwingcentristandrightwingpartiesacrosseurope |