Μελέτη διαιρετικών τομών εκλογέων και υποψηφίων στο εθνικό και ευρωπαϊκό δίπολο: Συγκλίσεις και αποκλίσεις

Abstract

This article seeks to examine both the theoretical framework of cleavages that was formulated by Lipset & Rokkan and two other cleavages which derive from the selfplacement on the Left-Right divide and the respective one of European versus anti - European orientation. The first divide is called the 'national continuum’, while the second one is the ‘European continuum’. This article presents a case study of Greece and focuses on the elections of the electoral period of 2004-2007. The ‘social cleavage model’ of Lipset & Rokkan is analyzed first. The presentation of the theoretical framework goes one step further and aims at analyzing also the most recent research contributions on the scientific discussion about cleavages. Secondly, the aforementioned cleavages are examined from a twofold perspective: from the one of political elites and the one of voters. At the core of the analysis are the candidates of the national election of 2007 of the two major parties of New Democracy (ND) and the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and their electorate. In addition, results from the electorate of the smaller parties of the Greek national political arena are also presented. The study identifies the convergent and divergent points between candidates and voters. Both the ‘national’ and the ‘European continuum’ formulate interesting aspects of the political conflict. For the study of candidates, the results of the international research programme ‘Comparative Candidate Survey’ are elaborated, while for the voters' perspective various data from pre- and post- electoral surveys are analyzed.