This paper investigates macropartisanship in five democracies, exploring its causes across multiparty systems.
Data & Methods:
- Comparative analysis of legislative voting patterns and party behavior over time.
- Case studies focusing on specific countries.
Key Findings:
- Macropartisanship exists even in genuinely multiparty political environments.
- It arises from factors beyond electoral competition alone, such as ideological sorting within parties or institutional pressures.
- While differing slightly between cases due to unique country contexts, the core drivers of macropartisanship show remarkable cross-national consistency.
Why This Matters:
Understanding how macro-level party alignment develops in diverse democratic settings enhances theories about political polarization and its origins.
