Absorbing the Blow: Populist Parties and their Impact on Parties and Party Systems [Paperback]

This set of sophisticated case studies provides the basis for a wide-ranging comparative analysis that asks how the rise of populist parties is changing European party systems. The record shows that by reshaping the competition for votes, and the competition for government, populist parties have been the midwives of competitive processes working to transform the continents party systems and democratic politics.This is a timely book. As the editors point out in their introduction, populists are now the single most successful post-war political family. Written by renowned experts, the country chapters cover a good cross-section of relevant European party systems and show that populist parties represent one of several factors that reshape party systems.Wolinetz and Zasloves volume not only represents an important contribution to our understanding of the impact of populism on European party systems, but it is also a highly illustrative, up-to-date introduction to the contemporary politics of many European countries for scholars of comparative politics and populism, as well as for a broader audience, including students, policymakers and journalists.In sum, this book provides well-crafted historical and analytical insights on the role of populist parties in European party systems. It is an essential source for students of populism, especially for those who are interested in the consequences of populism. Its rich description of different cases makes this edited volume valuable reading for teaching populism-related, country-specific or region-specific content and the evolution of political systems in Europe.Absorbing the Blow?examines the impact that they had on party systems that are no longer as static as previously thought.The significance of populist parties and their presence in party systems is undeniable. Parties like the Dutch Freedom Party, the French National Front, and the Five Star Movement in Italy rank among the largest political parties in their party systelÃ%