Bras. Political Sci. Rev.2011;5(1):105-28.
Public Attitudes towards Parties in Portugal: A Longitudinal Overview
DOI: 10.1590/1981-3883201100010005
This article reviews the case of the often claimed “crisis of parties” in Portugal, and argues that such controversy rests at least in part on “ambiguous” evidence. We will try to answer two fundamental research questions: 1) What motivates popular support for political parties (or lack thereof)? 2) Why does anti-party rhetoric resonate with some citizens, but not with others? The empirical data and statistical regression models used allow the following conclusion: in the eyes of Portuguese citizens, parties have become a kind of “necessary evil”, being criticized for “what they actually do” and supported for “what they are supposed to do”.
Public Attitudes towards Parties in Portugal: A Longitudinal Overview
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