Challenger Parties in Government

Parties come and go in parliamentary elections but admission to government has been much more selective. In fact, government parties have tended to be restricted to a relatively small number of established actors during the first four decades after WW II. To some extent, the pattern became so visible that the phenomenon was rightly or wrongly categorised as a cartel of parties. Since then, however, parties who never even have been close to the alleged cartel have challenged the established parties. This phenomenon can be found in an increasing number of European democracies. It is not exclusively parties from the far right or the Greens who are the new challenger parties. Also, relatively established parties like the Christian Democratic parties in Scandinavia have made their way to government. Until relatively recently, a situation like this was unthinkable. This new situation has not only implications for the challenger parties, the same holds also true for the established parties who are now facing unprecedented threats. Papers are welcome dealing with either the challenger parties or with the former established government parties who are now more threatened than before. In addition, we call for paper which deal with the problem whether this change is to be seen as a transition or just an occasional wave in a the stable pattern of governmental formation. Country specific and comparative papers are welcome as well as papers dealing with theoretical modelling. Paper proposals should be sent directly to panel chairs with a copy to each of the section convenors.