Journal article
Ideology and Voting in France: A Weakening Relationship?
French politics, Vol.23(2), pp.217-243
06/2025
DOI: 10.1057/s41253-025-00280-9
Abstract
Recent changes in electoral dynamics in France have raised questions about a possible erosion of the link between citizens’ ideological positioning on the left-right axis and their electoral choices. Using data from surveys spanning French presidential elections from 1988 to 2022, this article examines whether the relationship between ideology and voting has weakened in this country. Analyses reveal two main findings. First, the relative size of the major ideological groups in France—the far left, the left, the center, the right, and the far right—has changed relatively little over the period under study. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the strength of the relationship between voters’ self-positioning on the left-right axis and their reported vote in the first round of presidential elections in France has remained virtually the same between François Mitterrand’s election in 1988 and Emmanuel Macron’s re-election in 2022. However, this stability masks a transformation in the nature of the link between ideology and the presidential vote over time. Whereas in the past, voters at the extremes of the spectrum tended to defect in supporting a more moderate candidate from their camp, this trend has reversed in the last two presidential elections, when more moderate voters supported radical candidates. Beyond these trends, which may still evolve, results indicate that ideology continues to be a key factor associated with electoral behavior in France.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Ideology and Voting in France: A Weakening Relationship?
- Creators
- Richard Nadeau - Université de MontréalMichael S. Lewis-Beck - University of IowaMartial Foucault - Centre de Recherches Politiques de Sciences PoPhilippe Chassé - Centre de Recherches Politiques de Sciences Po
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- French politics, Vol.23(2), pp.217-243
- DOI
- 10.1057/s41253-025-00280-9
- ISSN
- 1476-3419
- eISSN
- 1476-3427
- Publisher
- Palgrave Macmillan
- Grant note
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Sciences Po
Philippe Chasse is supported by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Sciences Po.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 04/17/2025
- Date published
- 06/2025
- Academic Unit
- Political Science
- Record Identifier
- 9984781269802771
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