Right‐wing populist parties in Austria and Switzerland

A comparative analysis of electoral support and conditions of success

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6405970
AutoresLudger Helms (0000-0002-8634-9267, Heidelberg University, autor de correspondencia)
Año1997
Volumen20
Número2
Páginas37-52
Fecha de publicación1997-04-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402389708425190
OpenAlexW2066317733
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas12
Referencias citadas18

This article analyses the electoral support and parliamentary representation of right‐wing populist parties in Austria (FPO) and Switzerland (SD, AP/FPS, Lega dei Ticinesi). Contrary to the empirical evidence in many other fields of the political systems in these two Alpine republics, the analysis reveals strong differences rather than similiarities in the electoral support of right‐wing populist parties in both countries. This is explained by the differences in political culture and historic circumstances, performance of the established (governing) parties, party political penetration of social institutions, structure of the party system and the contrasting importance of direct‐democratic structures in the two countries. The exceptional skill of the right‐wing populist leader in Austria can also be seen as a significant factor. In contrast, neither social and economic variables, such as the economic situation, the unemployment rate and the overall number of asylum‐seekers, nor the strength and performance of green‐alternative parties seem to be important factors in explaining the differing success of right‐wing populist parties in Austria and Switzerland

Democracy · Economic growth · Economics · Electoral geography · Extreme right · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Populism · Radical right · Representation (politics · Right wing · Unemployment · Law