{"title":"When faced with elite polarization, citizens take sides: The 2017 election in Catalonia","authors":"E. Guntermann, A. Blais","doi":"10.1080/13597566.2020.1801648","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT There is considerable evidence that elite polarization influences ordinary citizens. However, existing research ignores moderate citizens in conflicts opposing elites. We consider the exceptional election held in Catalonia in December 2017 following a period of intense conflict surrounding an illegal independence referendum. We assess the reactions of moderate voters to the referendum conflict. We find that many of them, despite their nuanced positions in the broader conflict, took clear positions in response to the increased polarization between pro- and anti-secessionist elites, which led them to shift their votes to parties with clearer and more extreme positions in the conflict. We conclude that elite polarization forces moderates to take sides.","PeriodicalId":46657,"journal":{"name":"Regional and Federal Studies","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2020-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/13597566.2020.1801648","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Regional and Federal Studies","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2020.1801648","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"POLITICAL SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
ABSTRACT There is considerable evidence that elite polarization influences ordinary citizens. However, existing research ignores moderate citizens in conflicts opposing elites. We consider the exceptional election held in Catalonia in December 2017 following a period of intense conflict surrounding an illegal independence referendum. We assess the reactions of moderate voters to the referendum conflict. We find that many of them, despite their nuanced positions in the broader conflict, took clear positions in response to the increased polarization between pro- and anti-secessionist elites, which led them to shift their votes to parties with clearer and more extreme positions in the conflict. We conclude that elite polarization forces moderates to take sides.
期刊介绍：
The upsurge of academic and political interest in regional and federal questions since the 1980s has been stimulated by the salience of regions in EU policy-making and the Structural Funds but also by regionalization and federalization processes in many Western states. The most striking example is the devolution occurring in the UK, but the process is at work all over Europe and in other parts of the world. These developments have led to many important research programmes and projects. Regional and Federal Studies is a refereed social science journal which provides an academic forum for the publication of international research on these issues. It is essential reading for both academics and practitioners in politics, administration and the business world.
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