Uncovering Clustered Negative Partisanship in Europe and Why It Matters

• In Event: Poster Session: Predicting Political Preferences & Civic Engagement
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Predicting Political Preferences

Abstract

Negative partisanship (NP) captures the degree of aversion individuals hold towards opposing political parties. Its application within a two-party system is relatively straightforward, as partisans naturally favor one party over another, thereby inherently holding a form of "opposition" to their political choice. However, extending the concept to multiparty systems introduces greater complexity. This article first discusses these challenges and then proposes a novel measurement approach involving "dislike clusters" to account for citizens’ strong negative affects towards multiple parties in multiparty settings. By examining dislike intensities using the feeling thermometer, the study explores variations in the intensity of NP, shedding light on its potential influence on electoral outcomes. Applying this approach across 18 multiparty countries using Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) data, the research uncovers that parties within dislike clusters demonstrate ideological alignment. Notably, left-wing respondents tend to strongly dislike right-wing parties, and right-wing respondents tend to strongly dislike left-wing parties, indicating ideological blocs within dislike clusters. Finally, the study uncovers that radical parties consistently evoke higher levels of dislike intensity, thereby enhancing our understanding of the origins of NP in multiparty systems.

Author

• Melek Hilal Eroglu, University of Pittsburgh