Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T05:35:59.221Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Homogeneity and differentiation in national and regional elections: the case of Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2016

Gianluca Passarelli
Gianluca Passarelli*
Affiliation:
University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
*
∗Email: gianluca.passarelli@uniromal.it
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Analysis of electoral results implies in many cases differences and similarities between various areas of a polity. Differentiated electoral outcomes are evident not only within each context, but also between two (or more) territorial levels, such as elections at national, regional and provincial level, etc. Nevertheless, studying the territorial electoral discontinuities almost inevitably induces the concept of nationalisation of politics. This article presents a comparison between national and sub-national levels expressed in different electoral results between legislative and regional elections in Italy. In order to carry out a consistent analysis, the comparison of vote percentages is made by always referring to a set of seven (families of) parties, obviously modifying the choice of single parties when the offering changed, but keeping the same format for each pair of elections analysed together. The diachronic comparison over a politically relevant time span – as well as analysis at the level of geopolitical areas – gives us a useful framework rich in information. In Italy electoral behaviour in regional and national elections continues to show, albeit gradually and with some vacillations, a marked differentiation.

Keywords

regional electionsnational electionsItalydifferentiate votingnationalisationelectoral behaviour
Type
Articles
Information
Modern Italy , Volume 18 , Issue 3 , August 2013 , pp. 285 - 301
Copyright
Copyright © Association for the study of Modern Italy 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abedi, A., and Siaroff, A. 1999. “The Mirror has Broken: Increasing Divergence between National and Land Elections in Austria” German Politics 8(1):207–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bartolini, S. 1986. “La volatilità elettorale” Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica 17(3):363–400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bellucci, P., and Segatti, P. 2010. Votare in Italia: 1968–2008. Dall'appartenenza alla scelta. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Bochsler, D. 2010. “Measuring Party Nationalisation: A New Gini-Based Indicator that Corrects for the Number of Units” Electoral Studies 29(1):155–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caciagli, M., and Scaramozzino, P., eds. 1983. Il voto di chi non vota. L'astensionismo elettorale in Italia e in Europa. Milano: Comunità.Google Scholar
Caciagli, M., and Corbetta, P., eds. 1987. Elezioni regionali e sistema politico nazionale. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Caciagli, M., and Spreafico, A., eds. 1990. Vent'anni di elezioni in Italia, 1968–1987. Padova: Liviana.Google Scholar
Caramani, D. 1994. “La nazionalizzazione del voto” Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica 24(2):237–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caramani, D. 2000. Elections in Western Europe since 1815: Electoral Results by Constituencies. London–New York: Palgrave.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caramani, D. 2004. The Nationalization of Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caramani, D. 2005. “The Formation of National Party Systems in Europe: A Comparative-Historical Analysis” Scandinavian Political Studies 28(4):295–322.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caramani, D. 2011. “Electoral Waves: An Analysis of Trends, Spreads and Swings Across 20 West European Countries, 1979–2008” Representation 47(2):137–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carey, J. P. C., and Carey, A. G. 1958. “The Italian Elections of 1958. Unstable Stability in an Unstable World” Political Science Quarterly 73(4):566–589.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castanheira, M. 2003. “Why Vote for Losers?” Journal of the European Economic Association 1(5):1207–1238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chiaramonte, A., and D'Alimonte, R., eds. 2000. Il maggioritario regionale. Le elezioni del 16 aprile 2000. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Corbetta, P. 1993. “La Lega e lo sfaldamento del sistema” Polis 7(3):229–252.Google Scholar
Corbetta, P., and Parisi, A. M. L., eds. 1997. Cavalieri e fanti: proposte e proponenti nelle elezioni del 1994 e del 1996. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Corbetta, P., Parisi, A. M. L., and Schadee, H. M. A. 1988. Elezioni in Italia. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Corbetta, P., Parisi, A. M. L., and Schadee, H., eds. 1996. Elezioni in Italia. Struttura e tipologia delle elezioni politiche. Bologna: Il Mulino (1st ed. 1988).Google Scholar
Corbetta, P., and Schadee, H. 1993. “L'analisi delle tavole di movimento elettorale tramite la modellistica log-lineare” Sociologia e Ricerca Sociale 40:77–100.Google Scholar
D'Alimonte, R. 1995. “La transizione italiana: il voto regionale del 23 aprile” Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica 25(3):515–559.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Mucci, R. 1987. “Distintività e generalità delle elezioni regionali nel sistema politico italiano.” In Elezioni regionali e sistema politico nazionale, edited by Caciagli, M., and Corbetta, P., 57–71. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Feltrin, P. 1990. “Le elezioni regionali: indicatori di struttura e costanti nei comportamenti di voto.” In Vent'anni di elezioni in Italia, 1968–1987, edited by Caciagli, M., and Spreafico, A., 295–319. Padua: Liviana.Google Scholar
Fisichella, D. 1971. “Conseguenze politiche della legge elettorale regionale in Italia” Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica 1(1):145–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Franklin, M., van der Eijk, C., and Marsh, M. 1995. “Referendum Outcomes and Trust in Government: Public Support for Europe in the Wake of Maastricht” Western European Politics 18(3):101–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Galli, C. 1966. Il bipartitismo imperfetto. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Galli, G. ed. 1968. Il comportamento elettorale in Italia: un'indagine ecologica sulle elezioni in Italia tra il 1946 e il 1963. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Ghini, C. 1975. Il voto e gli Italiani. Roma: Ed. Riuniti.Google Scholar
Ghini, C. 1976. Il terremoto del 15 giugno. Milano: Feltrinelli.Google Scholar
Hearl, D. J., Budge, I., and Pearson, B. 1996. “Distinctiveness of Regional Voting: A Comparative Analysis across the European Community (1979–1993)” Electoral Studies 15(2):167–182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ignazi, P. 1992. “The Silent Counter Revolution: Hypotheses on the Emergence of Extreme Right-wing Parties in Western Europe” European Journal of Political Research 22(1):3–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, M. P., and Mainwaring, S. 2003. “The Nationalization of Parties and Party Systems: An Empirical Measure and an Application to the Americas” Party Politics 9(3):139–166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Legnante, G., and Segatti, P. 2009. “Intermittent Abstentionism and Multilevel Mobilisation in Italy” Modern Italy 14(2):167–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marsh, M. 1998. “Testing the Second Order Election Model after Four European Elections” British Journal of Political Science 28(4):591–607.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Massari, O. 1987. “Le elezioni regionali nella dinamica centro-periferia: un voto ambiguo.” In Elezioni regionali e sistema politico nazionale, edited by Caciagli, M., and Corbetta, P., 75–88. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Mazzoleni, M. 2009. “The Italian Regionalisation: A Story of Partisan Logics” Modern Italy 14(2):135–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meguid, B. 2005. “Competition between Unequals: The Role of Mainstream Party Strategy in Niche Party Success” American Political Science Review 99(3):347–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nannestad, P., and Paldam, M. 1999. “The Cost of Ruling: A Foundation Stone for Two Theories.” University of Aarhus Department of Economics Working Paper No. 1999–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paldam, M. 1986. “The Distribution of Electoral Results and the Two Explanations of the Costs of Ruling” European Journal of Political Economy 2(1):5–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parisi, A. M. L. 1987. “La specificità del voto regionale in Italia: interrogativi teorici e risposte della ricerca empirica.” In Elezioni regionali e sistema politico nazionale, edited by Caciagli, M., and Corbetta, P., 27–54. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Parisi, A. M. L., and Pasquino, G. 1977. “Relazioni partiti-elettori e tipi di voto.” In Continuità e mutamento elettorale in Italia. Le elezioni del 20 giugno 1976 e il sistema politico italiano, edited by Parisi, A., and Pasquino, G., 215–249. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Parisi, A. M. L., and Schadee, H., eds. 1995. Sulla soglia del cambiamento. Elettori e partiti alla fine della prima Repubblica. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Passarelli, G., and Tuorto, D. 2012a. Lega & Padania. Storie e luoghi delle camicie verdi. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Passarelli, G., and Tuorto, D. 2012b. “The Lega Nord Goes South. The Electoral Advance in Emilia-Romagna: A New Territorial Model?” Political Geography 31(7):419–428.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pavsiç, R. 1985. “Esiste una tendenza all'omogeneizzazione territoriale nei partiti italiani?” Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica 15(1):69–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pedersen, M. N. 1983. “Changing Patterns of Electoral Volatility in European Party Systems, 1948–1977: Explorations in Explanation.” In Western European Party Systems: Continuity and Change, edited by Daalder, H., and Mair, P., 29–66. London: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Rae, D. W. 1971. The Political Consequences of Electoral Laws. New Haven–London: Yale University Press (original ed. 1967).Google Scholar
Reif, K. 1984. “National Electoral Cycles and European Elections 1979 and 1984” Electoral Studies 3(3):244–255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reif, K. 1985. “Ten Second-Order Elections.” In Ten Second-Order Elections: Campaigns and Results of the 1979/81 First Direct Elections to the European Parliament, edited by Reif, K., 1–36. Aldershot: Gower.Google Scholar
Reif, K., and Schmitt, H. 1980. “Nine Second Order National Elections: A Conceptual Framework for the Analysis of European Election Results” European Journal of Political Research 8(1):3–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rose, R., and Urwin, D. V. 1970. “Persistence and Change in Western Party Systems since 1945” Political Studies 18(3):287–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sani, G. 1976. “Le elezioni degli anni settanta: terremoto o evoluzione?” Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica 6(2):261–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scaramozzino, P. 1992. “Il voto di preferenza nelle elezioni regionali in Italia.” In Cittadini e rappresentanza in Europa, edited by Riccamboni, G., 193–212. Milan: Franco Angeli.Google Scholar
Schattschneider, E. E. 1960. The Semi-Sovereign People: A Realist's View of Democracy in America. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Tronconi, F., and Roux, C. 2009. “The Political Systems of Italian Regions between State-wide Logics and Increasing Differentiation” Modern Italy 14(2):151–166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tuorto, D. 2006. Apatia o protesta? L'astensionismo elettorale in Italia. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Tuorto, D. 2010. “La partecipazione al voto.” In Votare in Italia: 1968–2008. Dall'appartenenza alla scelta, edited by Bellucci, P., and Segatti, P., 53–79. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Vassallo, S. 1995. “Il voto differenziato tra realtà e defezione.” In Sulla soglia del cambiamento. Elettori e partiti alla fine della prima Repubblica, edited by Parisi, A., and Schadee, H., 263–296. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar