Campaigning in an unprecedented election: issue competition in the French 2017 presidential election

Abstract

The 2017 French presidential elections featured an eventful campaign, produced astonishing results, and presented important signs of party system change. This paper analyses the main lines of divide of the demand and the supply side of electoral competition. It analyses the structure of citizens’ preferences, as well as the candidates’ strategic issue opportunities, relying on issue yield theory. To that end, it combines data from an original individual-level survey with information about the candidates’ Twitter messages. It is found that the traditional model of two-dimensional political space, characterised by an economic (left–right) and socio-cultural (integration–demarcation) dimension is largely challenged. On the supply-side, the analysis offers additional evidence for the central role played by the integration–demarcation divide, while showing that the traditional left–right conflict has not fully disappeared.     

Marginalisation or legitimation? Mainstream party positioning on immigration and support for radical right parties

Abstract

Does mainstream party positioning contribute to marginalising or legitimising niche party positions? This article argues that voter perceptions of the legitimacy and credibility of niche party positions play a role in individuals’ propensity to vote for niche parties. It finds that the adoption of more restrictive immigration positions by mainstream parties increases the likelihood that those people who do not recognise the issue competence of radical right parties on immigration will vote radical right. However, for individuals who already perceive the radical right to be competent on immigration, mainstream party adoption of more restrictive immigration positions has no effect on propensity to vote radical right. In addition, the increase in the propensity of individuals to vote radical right is predominantly a function of mainstream left parties adopting more restrictive immigration positions. These results imply that mainstream parties risk fuelling radical right party support by adopting more restrictive immigration positions.     

Institutional Change Through Policy Learning: The Case of the European Commission and Research Policy

Research initiatives to enhance knowledge‐based societies demand regionally coordinated policy approaches. By analyzing the case of the European Commission, Directorate‐General Research and Innovation, this study focuses on examining the cognitive mechanisms that form the foundation for institutional transformations and result in leadership positions in regional governance. Drawing on policy learning theories, the study emphasizes specific mechanisms of institutional change that are often less noticeable but can gradually lead to mobilizing diverse groups of stakeholders. Through historical and empirical data, this study shows the importance of policy learning through communication processes, Open Method of Coordination initiatives, and issue framing in creating a stronger foundation for policy coordination in European research policy since the 2000s.     

历史维度中的实体法与程序法

在历史中揭示,程序法和实体法共同脱胎于诉讼法,此时的诉讼法是诉未分解时的诉讼法,而现今之诉讼法虽名为诉讼法,实则程序法而已;对民事诉讼中的几组概念的混用进行澄清;实体法和程序法的合理关系是自足与互助的,并质疑时下流行的“层次论”观点。     

西方社会保障政策改革的理念启示

从20世纪80年代起,西方国家开始了全面的社会保障政策改革,旨在用一种更为积极的社会保障政策来代替消极的福利给付。这种从"福利"到"工作"的积极政策的改革实质是以一种劳动政策代替社会保障和福利,旨在将失业者送入劳动力市场,以解决日益膨胀的失业问题,减少失业者对福利的依赖。与此同时,在全球化背景下,中国也面临着广泛的失业问题和社会保障体系的建构问题。他山之石,可以攻玉,我们可以从西方国家的社会保障政策改革中得到诸多启示和借鉴,以一种新的理念来构建我们的社会保障体系。     

常识与理性(十):司法技术与司法政治之法理及其兼容

司法之政治性与其技术性一样,都是司法本身所固有的基本秉性。其中,技术性体现着司法的职业理性,它构成了司法过程的客观方面;政治性折射出司法的价值关怀,它构成了司法过程的主观方面。任何司法过程都包含主客观两个方面,因而也是政治性与技术性的有机统一。基于此,中国司法改革既要避免"泛政治化"倾向,又要反对"去政治化"主张。     

全球视野下的"粮食安全"问题

人口增长与经济快速发展,自然灾害频发与投机资本炒作,粮食安全问题成为世界关注问题。中国作为人口大国和快速发展国家,粮食安全问题受到世界关注,保障粮食安全已经成为中国政府的国家发展战略。世界粮食安全问题,不只是吃饭问题,而是国家生存问题,粮食已经成为战略资源。     

科教兴国实业强国的必由之路——谫论高校创新创业教育面临的问题及对策

随着高等教育的蓬勃发展,大学生就业问题日益成为社会关注的焦点之一。严峻的就业形势要求大学生必须具备更高的素质、更强的创新精神和创业能力来迎接挑战。我国高校普遍重视并开展大学生创新创业教育工作起步较晚,与经济社会快速发展对人才的需求存在较大差距。基于建设创新型国家和推动社会主义市场经济对创新创业人才的迫切需要,高校必须正视大学生创新创业教育面临的诸多问题．优化整合校内外教育资源,拿出切实解决问题的对策;即端正思想认识、提高经费投入、改革教学体系、培养师资队伍、创新考评方式、加强创业实践,把大学生真正培养成为科教兴国、实业强国的后备人才．     

Individual and contextual variation in EU issue voting: The role of political information

Increasing politicization in EU member states about European issues can be expected to strengthen the impact of attitudes towards Europe on vote choice in European Parliament (EP) elections. At the same time this impact is likely to vary between voters and contexts as a function of political information. This study explores the role of political information in explaining individual and contextual heterogeneity in the degree of EU issue voting. Using a two-step hierarchical estimation procedure to explore both individual and contextual variation, we show that while EU issue voting in the 2009 EP elections is only slightly more pronounced among the politically sophisticated, it is clearly more extensive in contexts that provide higher levels of political information on European matters.