Political Survival of Small Parties in Europe PDF
Preview Political Survival of Small Parties in Europe
Political Survival of Small Parties in Europe http://avaxhome.ws/blogs/ChrisRedfield new comparative politics Series Editor Michael Laver, New York University Editorial Board Ken Benoit, Trinity College, Dublin Gary Cox, University of California, San Diego Simon Hix, London School of Economics John Huber, Columbia University Herbert Kitschelt, Duke University G. Bingham Powell, University of Rochester Kaare Strøm, University of California, San Diego George Tsebelis, University of Michigan Leonard Wantchekon, New York University The New Comparative Politics series brings together cutting-edge work on social confl ict, political economy, and institutional development. Whatever its substantive focus, each book in the series builds on solid theoretical foundations; uses rigorous empirical analysis; and deals with timely, politically relevant questions. Curbing Bailouts: Bank Crises and Democratic Accountability in Comparative Perspective Guillermo Rosas The Madisonian Turn: Political Parties and Parliamentary Democracy in Nordic Europe Edited by Torbjörn Bergman and Kaare Strøm Political Survival of Small Parties in Europe Jae-Jae Spoon Veto Power: Institutional Design in the European Union Jonathan B. Slapin Political Survival of Small Parties in Europe Jae-Jae Spoon The University of Michigan Press Ann Arbor Copyright © by the University of Michigan 2011 All rights reserved This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publisher. Published in the United States of America by The University of Michigan Press Manufactured in the United States of America cPrinted on acid-free paper 2014 2013 2012 2011 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Spoon, Jae-Jae Michelle. Political survival of small parties in Europe / Jae-Jae Spoon. p. cm. — (New comparative politics) Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn978-0-472-11790-1 (cloth : alk. paper) — isbn978-0-472-02769-9 (ebk.) 1. Political parties—Europe. I. Title. jn50.s66 2011 324.2094—dc22 2011014825 For CJ Contents Preface ix Acknowledgments xi List of Political Party Names xiii chapter 1. Small Party Survival: Challenges and Solutions 1 chapter 2. Balancing Preferences: A Theory of Small Party Survival 26 chapter 3. Preelection Coalitions in France: A Lasting Electoral Strategy? 53 chapter 4. Focusing Locally and Targeting Nationally in the United Kingdom: Working toward Representation in Westminster 79 chapter 5. Communicating Credibility: Elected Of‹cials and Media Strategies 109 chapter 6. The Balancing Act Synthesized: Policy, Electoral, and Communication Strategies 139 Appendixes 153 Notes 161 References 175 Index 193 Preface as this book went to press, the United Kingdom was undergoing re- markable political change. In the May 2010 general elections, for only the second time since World War II, no party received a majority of seats in the House of Commons. After ‹ve days of negotiations, David Cameron’s Con- servative Party and Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats formed a coalition gov- ernment. Postwar Britain had no precedent for a true coalition govern- ment, where the parties would share the cabinet portfolios, as is the norm in many West European countries. Cameron became prime minister, and Clegg was appointed deputy prime minister. Consideration of the party’s long-term policy goal of electoral reform was a condition of the Liberal Democrats’ agreement to enter into a coalition with either Labour or the Conservatives. Much to the surprise of his own party and political pundits alike, Cameron agreed to a referendum on the alternative vote, even though it would likely hurt the Tories in future elections. A second event, of no less historic importance, was that the Green Party of England and Wales won its ‹rst seat in Westminster. Thirty-seven years after the party’s founding, it achieved its ultimate goal of electing a mem- ber of Parliament (MP). Despite the ‹rst-past-the-post electoral system, co- optation of issues by the larger parties, and strong voter allegiances to those parties, the Greens’ long-term strategy of building support in local elec- tions and targeting efforts in national elections enabled it to overcome these hurdles. As in 2005, the party targeted three constituencies for the 2010 general election—Brighton Pavilion, Lewisham Deptford, and Nor- wich South. The national party funneled funds, volunteers, and other re- sources to these constituencies. The local parties chose their candidates early and selected candidates who had previously run, who were well- known both inside and outside of Green Party circles, or both. Several years
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