Alignment, realignment and dealignment in multi-party systems : a conceptual and empirical study

Abstract

The present research is motivated by the conviction that there is inadequate conceptual understanding of the phenomena of ‘realignment’ and ‘dealignment’ in multi-party systems. It aims to fill this gap by examining empirically both phenomena in eleven cases of multi-party systems, in order to develop a conceptual understanding. It proposes a unified approach to studying the phenomena of alignment, and examine whether ‘realignment’ or ‘dealignment’ have occurred in two manifestations of alignment: partisan alignment, and voter alignment along a cleavage and the possible effects of the models of realignment and dealignment on patterns of stability and change of the party system structure. This research is designed as a comparison between “relatively similar” cases, and studies eleven European multi-party systems with electoral systems of proportional representation. It begins in 1950 and covers sixty years, concluding in 2010. It is based on repeated observations over long periods of time (or so-called longitudinal analysis), and examines individual-level and aggregate data.