Political polarization, voting and turnout: insights from survey research |
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| Coordinator 1 | Dr Simone Marsilio (Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele) |
Survey research is crucial for political science, providing empirical data to understand public opinion, political behavior, and institutions. This panel reports evidence from different surveys held in Italy, Georgia, Germany, Switzerland, and France concerning polarization, voting behavior, and political participation. In Italy, an online survey tested alternative voting methods during the 2022 elections. The final ranking of parties did not differ much compared to the official one, revealing new insights into party categorization. In Georgia, an analysis of longitudinal social survey data measured the rally-around-the-flag effect during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian war through the level of public trust toward institutions and partisan polarization. The study aimed to identify how these crises invoked the effect and how it varied across different societal groups. In Germany, a vignette survey explored the acceptance of the adaptation of the right to vote in relation to varying citizenship forms, lengths of stay, and political interests. Its goal was to provide insights for politicians on public support for extending the right to vote. In Switzerland, an analysis of total turnout bias was conducted through political and social survey data. The study investigated variations in nonresponse bias in different survey companies. In France, a two-wave panel survey examined the relationship between satisfaction with democracy and radical parties during the 2022 presidential election. The study tested whether the institutional inclusion of marginalized political groups exacerbated dissatisfaction. Overall, these papers offer new insights into key political phenomena, highlighting the importance of survey research in understanding our societies.