Party systems in Italy: An on-going evolution

Authors

  • Gianfranco Pasquino Johns Hopkins University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18042/cepc/rep.189.01

Abstract

In the second post-war period, Italy has so far had three party systems. Following Sartori’s teachings, one must «count the parties that count». The first party system, 1946-‍1992, has to be defined polarized pluralism, including two differently anti-system parties, the PCI and the MSI. The second party system, 1994-‍2013, was simply a multiparty system, not stabilized, having an occasional bipolar competition. Since 2013 the system is multiparty, but the competition has become multipolar. Mildly anti-system, the 5 Star Movement has obtained governmental offices. All existing parties continue to evolve. Electoral volatility is quite high. It is impossible to maintain that the party system is consolidated. On the contrary, it deserves to be defined unstructured.

Published

2020-09-28

Issue

Section

ARTICLES