Η ευρωπαϊκή σοσιαλδημοκρατία σε κρίση; : η εξέλιξη των εκλογικών μεγεθών (1950-2007)

Abstract

The article seeks to examine the electoral dynamics and the degree of the stability of the European social democratic parties in 15 countries of the European Union from 1950 to 2007. A basic analytical instrument used is the division of the period 1950-2007 in two sub-periods for analysis: a) 1950-1973 and b) 1974-2007, taking the year 1973 as a "turning point”. After having studied the electoral results, the first conclusion we reach to is that there is a steady decline in socialdemocrats’ electoral influence. This is more obvious for the parties of “classical social democracy”. Then, we analyze the party electoral mean change and relative mean change and electoral elasticity. However, the article neither confirms the argumentation of the “electoral end” of Social Democracy, nor strengthens the theory about “small and light electoral crisis”.