Synopses & Reviews
This book presents the main results of an electoral panel study which is both unique and innovative not only in French political research but also among Western European electoral studies. The survey was conducted among a sample of 1,846 French voters interviewed on four separate occasions (2007 Presidential and Legislative elections). Electoral trajectories can thus be observed revealing the main trends in electoral behaviour and voting patterns across the electorate. The analysis of such trajectories and patterns mobilizes not only the usual explanatory factors (demographics, political leanings and identifications) but also another set of political variables (issues, the campaign and the media, the candidates image, how electoral decisions are made, hesitation in voting intentions).This study also provides interesting findings on electoral volatility, including abstention.
Review
“This book represents contemporary French political science at its best: grappling with important questions by employing cutting-edge tools and theories drawn from the international political science literature, but augmenting these tools and theories as appropriate with approaches designed specifically for the French case.” --Mark Franklin, Stein Rokkan Professor of Comparative Politics, European University Institute
Review
“This book represents contemporary French political science at its best: grappling with important questions by employing cutting-edge tools and theories drawn from the international political science literature, but augmenting these tools and theories as appropriate with approaches designed specifically for the French case.” --Mark Franklin, Stein Rokkan Professor of Comparative Politics, European University Institute
"This book is a major step. Most of the scholarly leaders in the French elections community have a chapter in this book. Virtually all are connected, directly or indirectly, to the organizations that study French elections (CEVIPOF, CNRS, FNSP). The topics considered cover valuable political science topics: the process of electoral decision, voter loyalty, political alignments, the influence of candidate images, the timing of the electoral decision, the role of the campaign, the place of issues in the vote choice, and the impact of candidates such as Le Pen and Bayrou. All of this is especially exciting and timely reading because of the highly contested 2007 presidential election between candidates Royal and Sarkozy." -- Michael S. Lewis-Beck, Department of Political Science, University of Iowa
Synopsis
This book presents the main results of an electoral panel survey, one not only unique and innovative in French electoral research but also among the most detailed panel studies in Europe. The survey was conducted among a sample of 1,846 French voters interviewed in four waves during the 2007 presidential and legislative elections in the context of Nicolas Sarkozy's victory. The analysis provides an understanding of how decisions on voting are made, the process of electoral decision-making, and the mechanisms used by voters to make choices, and attempts to identify the social, political, and psychological factors at play.
About the Author
Bruno Cautrès is a CNRS research fellow based at the Centre de Recherches Politiques de Sciences Po (CEVIPOF, Paris). He also teaches at Sciences Po (Paris). His recent publications include Les Français, des Européens comme les autres ? (edited with Daniel Boy and Nicolas Sauger, 2010).
Anne Muxel is Director of Research based at the Centre de Recherches Politiques de Sciences Po (CEVIPOF, Paris). She also teaches at Sciences Po (Paris). Her recent publications include Toi, moi et la politique. Amour et convictions (2008) and Avoir 20 ans en politique. Les enfants du désenchantement (2010).
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Dynamics of Electoral Choice--Bruno Cautrès and Anne Muxel * The Process of Electoral Decision-Making--Bruno Cautrès and Anne Muxel * Loyalties, Mobilities, and Abstentions--Anne Muxel * The Plurality of Voting Possibilities--Vincent Tiberj and Bruno Cautrès * The Decisive Influence of Image--Daniel Boy and Jean Chiche * When Do Voters Choose?--Bruno Cautrès and Anne Jadot * Following the Campaign: Politization, Confirmation, and Polarization--Thierry Vedel * Electoral Agenda and Issue Voting--Nicolas Sauger * How Le Pens Electorate Lost Faith in Him--Pascal Perrineau * The Temptation to Vote Bayrou--Sylvie Strudel * Review of an Electoral Campaign: From Chronicle to Political Logic--Claude Dargent and Martine Barthélemy * The Panel Electoral Français: Methodological Issues--Viviane Le Hay * Conclusion: The Benefits of Panel Studies--Bruno Cautrès and Anne Muxel