Democratic Politics Under Pressure: Southern Europe in a Period of Extended Crisis

Abstract

This panel explores the political transformations occurring in Southern Europe in terms of both the quality of democracy, as well as the content and discourse through which elites attempt to satisfy or at least pacify the electorate during a decade of crisis. The panel includes five papers, analysing rich empirical data and adopting a range of methods, including experiments, surveys and content analysis. Thematically, papers engage, among others, with key debates on the state of representation and rise of authoritarianism, the drivers of protest and its effects on public opinion, and the role of elite discourses in shaping public attitudes through carefully crafted rhetorical strategies. Empirically, the panel focusses on Southern Europe, particularly on Spain, Greece, Turkey and Portugal.