2nd Edition

Comparative European Party Systems An Analysis of Parliamentary Elections Since 1945

By Alan Siaroff Copyright 2019
    586 Pages 16 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    586 Pages 16 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Comparative European Party Systems, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive analysis across 48 party systems of party competition, electoral systems and their effects, and the classification of party systems and governments from 1945 through late-2018.

    The book consists of three parts. Part I provides a comparative and quantitative overview of party systems according to party families, patterns of party competition, electoral systems and their effects, and classification of party systems and governments. Part II consists of 38 detailed country profiles of longstanding democracies and of the European Union (plus nine profiles on regions such as in Spain and the UK), providing essential detail on the electoral systems, parties, party patterns and systems, dimensions of political competition, and governments. Part III provides an analysis of 10 additional country profiles of oscillating regimes such as Russia, Ukraine, and Balkan and Transcaucasus states.

    Comparative European Party Systems provides an excellent overview of topical issues in comparative election and party system research and presents a wealth of information and quantitative data. It is a crucial reference for scholars and students of European and comparative politics, elections, electoral systems, and parties and party systems.

    Part I: Comparative Analysis

    1. Introduction and Context

    2. Data on Elections

    3. Classifying Party Patterns and Party Systems

    4. Electoral Systems and Their Effects

    5. Governments and Party Types

    Part II: Individual Case Analyses of Longstanding Democracies

    Andorra

    Austria

    Belgium

    Flanders

    Bulgaria

    Croatia

    Cyprus (Greek)

    Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

    Czech Republic

    Denmark

    Faroe Islands

    Estonia

    Finland

    France

    Corsica

    Germany

    Greece

    Hungary

    Iceland

    Republic of Ireland

    Italy

    Latvia

    Liechtenstein

    Lithuania

    Luxembourg

    Malta

    Montenegro

    Netherlands

    Norway

    Poland

    Portugal

    Romania

    San Marino

    Serbia

    Slovakia

    Slovenia

    Spain

    Basque Country

    Catalonia

    Sweden

    Switzerland

    Turkey

    United Kingdom

    Northern Ireland

    Scotland

    Wales

    European Union

    Part III: Individual Case Analyses of Oscillating Regimes

    Albania

    Armenia

    Bosnia-Herzegovina

    Georgia

    Kosovo

    Macedonia

    Moldova

    Monaco

    Russia

    Ukraine

    Biography

    Alan Siaroff is Professor of Political Science at the University of Lethbridge, Canada.

    "Alan Siaroff’s Comparative European Party Systems is a gold mine for anyone who wants to develop a deeper understanding of the rules and the players in Europe’s political competition and who has won and lost over the long run. Siaroff handles complex political science concepts and a massive stockpile of data with an elegance that sharpens and clarifies underlying patterns that we all need to understand."Kevin Deegan-Krause, Wayne State University, USA.

    "Packed with extensive and systematic empirical detail missing from most monographs, Alan Siaroff charts, measures and categorizes party systems across the continent. Comparative European Party Systems is a valuable resource and deserves a place on the bookshelves of all political scientists studying Europe." - Tim Haughton, University of Birmingham, UK.

    "This book offers an insightful overview of parliamentary elections and party systems change in Europe, since 1945. It should be suggested reading for students of European political systems." - Eugenio Pizzimenti, Università di Pisa, Italy.