Values and the Votes from Mitterrand to Hollande: The Rise of the Two-axis Politics
Abstract
Like other European democracies, France appears to be moving towards a ‘new politics’. Cultural issues such as immigration and multiculturalism are now said to be more influential on voting behaviour than socioeconomic issues. In this paper we question the impact of values on the French presidential elections since 1988 and show that: (1) both new and old politics are playing a role; (2) this two-axis politics is the result of a transition period begun in 1995 and accomplished in 2007; and (3) it has changed dramatically the way parties (including the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire and the Socialist Party) and voters interact with each other.