Parliamentary Election Turnout in Europe since 1990

Alan Siaroff and John W. A. Merer

Political Studies, 2002, vol. 50, issue 5, 916-927

Abstract: This article examines the cross‐national variations in turnout for parliamentary elections in Europe since 1990 – a continent with a vast range in turnout levels and some clear subregional patterns, especially that of low turnout in East‐Central Europe. A full range of socio‐economic, mobilizational, party system, institutional, and contextual factors are examined for bivariate relationships with turnout. A multivariate model then indicates that cross‐national turnout is higher where there is strictly enforced compulsory voting, in polarized two‐party systems and countries with a high level of party membership, and where there are no relevant elected presidents or strong regional governments. Variances on these and other key factors are what accounts for the subregional pattern of East‐Central Europe and the highest turnout case of Malta; however, Switzerland is confirmed to be a significant national dummy variable.

Date: 2002
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:polstu:v:50:y:2002:i:5:p:916-927

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