Party membership and closeness and the development of trust in political institutions

Abstract

Political parties are essential linkage mechanisms between citizens and the political system. We know less, however, about the question how this mechanism operates. While some authors assume it is sufficient that parties offer citizens ideological options about the way society should be governed, others indicate that parties provide strong ties to the political system by offering stable identities like party membership. In this analysis of the European Social Survey cumulative file (five waves, 2002-2010), we investigate the relation between party membership, closeness to a political party and trust in political institutions. While party membership is declining, its relation with political trust is limited. We do not find any indication that the decline of party membership could have a substantial effect on levels of political trust. Feeling close to a political party is more strongly related to political trust, even controlling for political interest. Results indicate that in most European societies levels of party closeness are stable. We conclude that political parties function as a linkage mechanism between citizens and the state, but that there is no reason to attribute a privileged role to formal party membership, as feeling close to a political party has a stronger linkage effect.

The effect of political sophistication and party identification on voter–party congruence. A comparative analysis of 30 countries

“…These developments have been interpreted in contrasting ways with some observers voicing concern about their implications for democratic legitimacy given the role of parties as a key linkage mechanism between citizens and the state. When voters feel close to a political party then they are arguably more likely to feel connected to the political system as a whole (Hooghe & Kern, 2015). Furthermore, a party identification can serve as a cognitive heuristic that helps citizens to make sense of the complex political world and guides their voting decisions (Lau & Redlawsk, 2001).…”

Political Influence and Values as Determinants of Political Trust among Youth in Croatia

“…Pad institucionalnog povjerenja zadesio je i postsocijalistička društva tijekom posljednjih dvaju desetljeća, pri čemu je kontinuirano niži od onog u zapadnim društvima (Mishler i Rose, 1997;Sztompka, 1999;Badescu i Uslaner, 2003;Cattenberg i Moreno, 2006;Šalaj, 2007;Zmerli, Newton i Montero, 2007;Kukovič, 2013;Hooghe i Kern, 2013). Ipak, opadanje političkog povjerenja u postsocijalističkim društvima ne pripisuje se jača-nju vrijednosti samoizražavanja i kritičke osviještenosti građanstva prema hijerarhiziranim autoritetima karakterističnima za demokratsku političku kulturu nego nestajanju iluzija o demokraciji i razočaranju novim sustavom (Cattenberg i Moreno, 2006), potom perzistenciji kulturnih čimbenika (poput religije kao »robusne kulturne zone«) te socijalističkog naslijeđa (Inglehart i Welzel, 2005).…”

Comparing protests and demonstrators in times of austerity: regular and occasional protesters in universalistic and particularistic mobilisations

“…The political orientation of citizens provides a general framework for understanding the context. This political orientation provides a clear speech about how to understand certain political issues and what position should be taken to these issues (Hooghe & Kern, 2013). Several studies have found that citizens with a leftist orientation are more likely to participate in protest (e.g.…”

“…They provide a mechanism for identification with the political system and they aggregate their preferences (Panebianco, 1988). Political parties also provide citizens identification with relevant policy issues and their positions on those issues (Hooghe & Kern, 2013). Recent studies on the Occupy/Indignados movement have found that their participants have no clear position in relation to parties, criticizing them for being part of the system they don't trust (Manilov, 2013;Pickerill & Krinsky, 2012).…”

“…Party identification directs citizens to relevant policy issues and helps them to set out their position on those issues (Hooghe & Kern, 2013). Political parties are essential linkage mechanisms between citizens and the political system.…”