Anatomy of the Italian populist breakthrough: a ‘demarcationist’ fuel driving Lega and Five-star Movement electoral success?

Author(s):  
Vincenzo Emanuele ◽  
Andrés Santana ◽  
José Rama
2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-48
Author(s):  
Graziana Corica

The 2019 municipal elections in Florence confirm the electoral success of the Democratic Party and the Mayor, Dario Nardella. The center-right candidate, Ubaldo Bocci, an entrepreneur and member of local catholic associations, collected 25% of the votes. The Five Star Movement, with Roberto De Blasi as mayoral candidate, and the left candidate Antonella Bundu got about 7% of the electoral preferences each.In which areas of the city did the PD win? Is it possible establish a causal relation between voting behaviour, the neighbourhood and sociodemographic variables? To answer these questions, the article examines the electoral results through a geographical approach, based on the 72 «elementary areas» of Florence and other variables provided by ISTAT. This analysis identifies four macro-areas, distinguished for the different combinations of the presence of the political parties. Overall, the preferences collected by the PD, more than 50%, make difficult to found a link between the vote and the social background.In order to understand the electoral success of the PD and of local politicians other factors, like political culture or specific contextual features, have to be taken into consideration. Indeed, from a qualitative perspective, this contribution suggests to consider Florence as a «urban regime», composed by several actors who share interests and visions about the growth of the city.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattia Zulianello

On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the concept of anti-system party it is time to ask whether it enjoys good health in addition to longevity. Reflecting on what constitutes an anti-system party appears to be of unprecedented relevance, particularly in the light of the electoral success of populist parties such as the French Front National, the Five Star Movement in Italy and Syriza in Greece. This article highlights two crucial questions that remain unsolved if we follow existing conceptualizations: What are the boundaries of the concept? When does a party cease to be anti-system and how can it be reclassified thereafter? In order to overcome such limitations, this article develops a revisited concept of anti-system party and provides a set of guidelines for its empirical application. Furthermore, a novel typology capable of investigating the evolution of anti-system parties and classifying political parties in general is presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Lucarelli ◽  
Gregorio Fuschillo ◽  
Zuzana Chytkova

Purpose Although information technology has been at the centre of attention of political branding for some time, research has traditionally focused mainly on its role in the facilitation of communication. This paper aims to unpack the role of information technology in the emergence of new cyber political brands. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a dual case study approach that focuses on the relationship between branding, politics and information technology. The analysis focuses on two successful political cyber brands: the Italian Five Star Movement and the Czech Pirate Party. Data collection covering the time frame between their emergence and their political success occurs through netnographic methods. Findings Cyber political brands emerge and materialize in different forms. The present analysis allows for a delineation of three conceptual elements that characterize the constitutive interrelationship of information technology in the emergence of cyber political brands. The first conceptual element, organization, refers to how political brands become structured around linked activities. The second conceptual element, orientation, describes how the activities of a political brand are directed to build a specific path and legitimize courses of action. The third conceptual element, operation, delineates the processes that anchor and stabilize the political brands in its “own” culture, establishing specific base activities. Research limitations/implications Information technology and the techno-culture emerging around the two cyber party brands can be seen as the possible delineations of new “cleavages” in the form of “information technology-culture” which enables potential electoral success. Originality/value The present study by offering the conceptualization of the cyber political brand shows how political brands can reflect a type of performative cultural branding where they become able, as a networked-medium, to assemble a specific techno-culture. In terms of political brand development, the current analysis offers a framework that allows us to consider the process of political party development in a new fashion.


Subject Italy's League party. Significance Italy’s far-right League (the former Northern League) seeks to expand its influence in southern Italy, which has been a stronghold for the League’s coalition partner, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S). The League’s growing popularity in the south could force it to call a general election after May’s European Parliament (EP) elections. Impacts The Italian government will bolster its anti-immigrant agenda ahead of the EP elections. Further electoral success of Italy’s ruling parties could encourage populist movements elsewhere in the EU. The continued success of far-right politics in Italy will damage financial-market confidence in Italian bonds.


2018 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-38
Author(s):  
Mara Morini

The article describes the political evolution of the Italian Five Star Movement (Movimento 5 Stelle - M5S) at the local level (2009-2012) with a specific reference to the «Italian Stalingrad» i.e. the city of Parma. In the administrative elections held in 2012 the M5S was able to get its first Major, Federico Pizzarotti, who was unexpectedly elected in the second round defeating the center left coalition. Born as a local and civic experience in the so called Meetup (local party meetings), the M5S of Parma is an example of «overpromising populism» (Mény & Surel 2000) accused by Beppe Grillo (the central office) of a compromise-collusion made by Pizzarotti with the «old» power (traditional parties). Firstly, a short overview of the local evolution of M5S is given in order to better understand its level of local penetration and representation between 2009-2014. Secondly, the analysis of the 2012-2017 electoral campaigns will be described taken into consideration the political characteristics of all the competitors and the main determinants of Pizzarotti's two electoral success. Thirdly, some hypothesesabout the future of the «Effetto Parma» civic party and Pizzarotti's leadership at the local and national level will be provided.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Jasko ◽  
Joanna Grzymala-Moszczynska ◽  
Marta Maj ◽  
Marta Szastok ◽  
Arie W. Kruglanski

Reactions of losers and winners of political elections have important consequences for the political system during the times of power transition. In four studies conducted immediately before and after the 2016 US presidential elections we investigated how personal significance induced by success or failure of one’s candidate is related to hostile vs. benevolent intentions toward political adversaries. We found that the less significant supporters of Hillary Clinton and supporters of Donald Trump felt after an imagined (Study 1A) or actual (Study 2) electoral failure the more they were willing to engage in peaceful actions against the elected president and the less they were willing to accept the results of the elections. However, while significance gain due to an imagined or actual electoral success was related to more benevolent intentions among Clinton supporters (Study 1B), it was related to more hostile intentions among Trump supporters (Studies 1B, 2, and 3).


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