Right‐wing populist parties in Austria and Switzerland

A comparative analysis of electoral support and conditions of success

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6405970
AutoresLudger Helms (0000-0002-8634-9267, Heidelberg University, autor correspondente)
Ano1997
Volume20
Fascículo2
Páginas37-52
Data de publicação1997-04-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402389708425190
OpenAlexW2066317733
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas12
Referências 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