Partisan supply and voters’ positioning on the left–right scale in Europe

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to provide a comparative analysis of the impact of the components that determine positions on the left–right scale using data from the European Social Survey (ESS) which, in addition and in contrast to previous studies, includes the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Our findings show the stronger effect of the partisan component vis-à-vis other factors, resulting in further proof of the main role that parties play in influencing voters’ positions on the left–right scale, as long as they constitute the main and most visible actors around which electoral competition develops. Moreover, there are significant variations among countries regarding the impact of the partisan component, principally stemming from the degree of ideological polarization in party systems.