What role does inter-partisan affective polarization play in the variation of issue salience within electoral manifestos? Evidence from the 2017 and 2021 general elections in Germany and the Netherlands

Details

Supervisors

Baudewyns Pierre

Faculty

Faculté des sciences économiques, sociales, politiques et de communication

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences politiques, orientation générale, à finalité approfondie

Abstract

This master’s thesis aims to initiate a preliminary exploration of the potential influence of affective polarization between partisans during electoral competition within multiparty political systems, with a particular focus on electoral manifestos. To achieve this, the study employs a hypothetico-deductive method, utilizing CSES data on partisan affective polarization and the Manifesto Project database to collect variations in the salience of electoral programs, all of which during the 2017 and 2021 general elections in Germany and the Netherlands. This study highlights the difficulty in capturing the consequences of affective polarization during electoral campaigns and suggests the potentially limited impact it has, except in interactions between moderate and far-right parties. Furthermore, it aligns with emerging literature on the potential influence that political elites may have on inter-party affective polarization and the issues that arise from it.