Timing partisanship: stability, strength and sway of party identification with new parties

Eva Anduiza (UAB) i Roberto Pannico (ICS-Lisboa)

3th of June, 17:00h, Zoom meeting. ID de reunió: 869 3036 9569. Contrasenya: 566566
New parties pose a challenge to the way party identification has been understood. Traditionally, both for classic and revisionist accounts, party identification requires time for citizens to form this social identity or build their running tally. But when new parties appear, time is, by definition, short. In this paper we explore the dynamics of party identification with new parties. Using panel data collected in Spain during a period of profound party system change, we estimate the extent to which partisanship with new parties is stable, intense and works as a heuristic for preference formation and vote choice. Our data suggest that time is not a necessary requirement to develop stable, strong and meaningful party identities. The findings seem particularly relevant in a context where new parties are on the rise.