REDIRECT is pleased to share the publication of the paper Whom do you serve? A comparative analysis of congruence between party representatives, voters, and economic elites (2007–2017) in European Political Science Review.
Authored by Paolo Marzi (University of Siena) and Michele Scotto di Vettimo (King’s College London), the paper examines whether party representatives in Europe are more closely aligned with the preferences of their voters or with those of economic elites. Covering 16 European countries across three survey waves between 2007 and 2017, the study offers a comparative and longitudinal perspective on unequal representation and elite bias.
The analysis shows that, on average, party representatives tend to be slightly closer to economic elites than to their own voters. However, this pattern is not uniform. Elite bias is especially visible on cultural values and European integration policies, while voters appear to be better represented on economic policy issues and the left–right dimension. The paper also finds that elite bias is stronger among mainstream, right-leaning, and governing parties, but declined in the aftermath of the Eurozone crisis.
Overall, the findings contribute to current debates on democratic representation by showing that unequal representation in Europe is not simply a matter of whether elites are overrepresented, but also of where, when, and by whom. Understanding these patterns is essential for assessing the quality of representative democracy and the relationship between citizens, parties, and powerful social groups.
Authors: Paolo Marzi and Michele Scotto di Vettimo
Journal: European Political Science Review
Article: Whom do you serve? A comparative analysis of congruence between party representatives, voters, and economic elites (2007–2017)
The article is accessible to all at https://lnkd.in/eJ92DbDJ
#Democracy #PoliticalRepresentation #UnequalRepresentation #EliteBias #EconomicElites #RepresentativeDemocracy #EuropeanPolitics #REDIRECT