The Electoral Consolidation of the Five Star Movement

Abstract

In many European countries, the success of populist formations is transforming the party system and the traditional electoral competition structure. Italy is no exception. Since the 2013 Italian general election, scholars have wondered wether the electoral successes of the Five Star Movement (FSM) marked the end of the so-called Italian Second Republic. This paper analyses the electoral performance and the transformation of the Five Star Movement on both local and national levels. First, I will briefly overview the characteristics of the FSM in relation to the main conceptual dimensions of populism. Secondly, I will examine the electoral history of the FSM from its foundation till the 2017 administrative elections round. Thirdly, I will focus on the territorial strengthening at the local level and on the geographical consolidation of the FSM electoral support. Lastly, I will briefly overview the socio-demographic profile of its voters and the evolution of its electorate.

Publication
in Quaderni di Scienza Politica, vol. Il Movimento Cinque Stelle: Prospettive di Ricerca a Confronto, no. 3, M. Almagisti and P. R. Graziano, Eds., Dec. 2017