Local parties – disrupting or invigorating local democracy?

Abstract

Across several European democracies, political parties that run exclusively for local elections have grown in number and strength in recent decades (e.g., Reiser and Holtmann, 2008). Several scholars have lamented the fact that this has, for too long, been an understudied and overlooked phenomenon, not least given the support these parties receive, and the role they sometimes come to play, in local politics (e.g., Wallman Lundåsen & Erlingsson 2023; Otjes 2020; Tavares et al. 2020; Reiser 2008). Although a somewhat neglected issue, there is nevertheless no shortage of hypotheses or speculation as to why this development has taken place. There are variations on the theme, but a recurring thread is that the success of local parties is associated with growing disenchantment with political parties (e.g., Reiser & Holtmann 2008). This explanation echoes common themes in the broader literature on why new parties emerge and succeed at the national level: new parties tend to emerge in response to the failure of established parties to perform in one way or another (e.g., Hug 2001; Hauss and Rayside 1978; Lawson and Merkl 1988). This panel seeks to explore these changes to local party systems, including variations in their prevalence across municipalities of different sizes and the urban-rural divide, longevity and survival rates and effects on voter turnout and citizen monitoring of their activities.

Title	Details
One hit wonders or long-term players? A survival analysis of local parties in Swedish municipal elections 1991-2018	View Paper Details
The changing local political landscape: Fragmentation and coalition formation in the Netherlands (1998-2022)	View Paper Details
Crowding in local lists: Local branches of national parties and the supply and success of local lists	View Paper Details
The rural-urban divide in local party system nationalization	View Paper Details
Different strokes for different folks: Does the "local list" label make voters less vigilant?	View Paper Details