In an era of declining trust in political parties and a crisis of representation, parties that borrow strategies and rhetoric from social movements have become increasingly present on the European stage.
Called “movement parties”, they are trying to bring back into play citizens disenchanted with traditional politics, offering new topics for debate and new ways of civic engagement, says a study by Dan Mercea and Felipe G. Mercea. Santos and published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the American Political Science Association.
The study, conducted in countries such as Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania and the United Kingdom, shows that voters in these parties are less interested in protesters or institutional outsiders than in the policies promoted by candidates. The experiment used was a choice-based conjoint survey in which participants chose between candidates with different profiles, without knowing party affiliation, to eliminate bias.
Politics, not protest, drives the vote
The survey results were surprising: the most important characteristic for party-leaning voters is the political stance of the candidates. Some voters prefer anti-elitist candidates, others favor those who support the current system working properly. But protest experience or lack of institutional experience did not influence the voting decision, contrary to initial expectations.
That is, although movement parties are often born out of protest movements and directly promote democracy or citizens’ involvement in decisions, their voters do not necessarily vote for protesters, but for those who promise clear changes aligned with their values. “Movement-party voters have much stronger political preferences than those of traditional parties,” the study’s authors explain.
Why do these parties matter?
Movement parties have emerged in response to the crisis of representation and the weakening link between parties and society. They bring new issues such as the environment or migration into politics and adapt quickly to social change thanks to their close ties with the grassroots. In addition, they use digital technology to involve citizens in candidate selection and decision-making, as Italy’s 5 Star Movement has done, for example.
Policies, not protest, are key to success
The study shows that although movement parties rely on links with social movements, their voters do not vote out of a desire to protest, but for the policies they promote. They want clear changes but do not reject the system itself. Thus, the success of movement parties depends on their ability to respond to citizens’ needs and values, not just to mobilize protesters or criticize the political elite.
