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Recensión de la obra: VARGAS, A. Y FONSECA, T. (2019). Como funciona o parlamento. Lisboa: Assembleia da República

AbstractThe literature on populist parties has tended to look at this new phenomenon as distinct from traditional party models. While there are a number of studies focusing on specific dimensions, there have been few attempts to systematically examine the features of these new players through the eyes of distinct party types. This work uses the case of Podemos to highlight what distinguished this new party from mainstream parties. We consider the following dimensions: the genetic model, ideological and programmatic stances, its organization, and the profile of its electoral base. It is shown that Podemos presents hybrid characteristics, combining those of traditional party models with the characteristics transposed from the digital culture. The findings also show that populist parties evolve similarly to mainstream parties and this evolution depends not only on electoral and strategic pressures, but also on the process of institutionalization. The lessons of Podemos will allow us to discuss comparable cases from contemporary democracies, thus strengthening our findings and generating more robust evidence about the (alleged) novelty of populist parties with regard to party models.

Abstract
This article examines party system change in Italy after the emergence of the economic crisis, focusing on the radical shift experienced with the 2013 general elections. By considering several indicators such as party system fragmentation, electoral volatility, issues of competition and patterns of government, this study provides a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the main dimensions of change and continuity experienced by the Italian party system over the last decades. The article argues that the economic crisis was only partially responsible for the instability of the party system, while long-term factors of erosion were crucial to foster party system change. In particular, the crisis of party organizations contributed to the success of new actors, the regeneration of party leadership and the emergence of new patterns of government. The Italian case thus offers interesting insights on the concept of party system deinstitutionalization and on the interaction between institutional change, party strategies and electoral dynamics.

The aim of this article is to analyze the current characteristics and dynamics of the Italian political system, focussing on the main patterns of continuity and change that emerged after the 2013 legislative elections. The disintegration of the centre-right coalition, the emergence of new political forces, as well as the rise of new leaders have profoundly reshaped the Italian party system. On the other hand, the economic crisis has reinforced negative attitudes towards democratic institutions and the main political actors. These phenomena have led to an extremely fluid political system and an uncertain future, which has been aggravated by a never-ending debate on institutional reforms. Adapted from the source document.

All elections have characteristics associated with the context in which they are held. European elections in 2014 do not escape this rule. In relation to European elections that occurred in the past, there are at least two aspects that contribute to the specificity of the event schedule. First, and the first time voters will elect a European Parliament (EP) with enhanced powers, after the entry into force in 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon. The EP will have a greater capacity for intervention in some key areas, such as the free circulation of people, international trade agreements and the reform of the agrarian policy. Besides that, for the first time will also elect 'formally' the president of the European Commission. In this sense, the political majority that will leave the next European elections will have a fundamental weight to influence an important set of policies, including the annual budget and the policies associated with the fiscal compact. Adapted from the source document.

A review essay covering books by 1) Gianfranco Pasquino, Frinale di Partita. Tramonto di una Repubblica [End Game. The Fall of a Republic] (2013), 2) Andre Freire (Ed.), O Sistema Politico Portugues, Seculos XIX-XX: Continuidades e Ruturas [The Portuguese Political System, 19th-20th Centuries: Continuities and Discontinuities] (2012) and 3) Josep M. Reniu (Ed.), Sistema politico espanol [The Spanish Political System] (2012).

This study seeks to improve the current conceptualisation of partisanship and to provide empirical evidence about the nature of partisan identities in new democracies. Conventional theories suggest that partisan loyalties are grounded in social and group contexts, while 'revisionist' theories have emphasised the importance of the performance evaluations of political actors. This study argues that the nature of partisanship in newer democracies is more strongly influenced by the latter. By focusing on new Southern European democracies, this research confirms the importance of performance and retrospective evaluations as the basis of partisan loyalties. The impact of age and education is very weak, while ideological extremism displays a constant and significant effect. However, the nature of partisanship varies according to different party types, as voters of more ideological parties are less sensitive to short-term judgements. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Ltd., copyright, the International Political Science Association.]