Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/337874 
Year of Publication: 
2026
Citation: 
[Journal:] West European Politics [ISSN:] 1743-9655 [Issue:] Latest Articles [Publisher:] Taylor & Francis [Place:] London [Year:] 2026 [Pages:] 1-14
Publisher: 
Taylor & Francis, London
Abstract: 
Election campaigns are periods of heightened political competition and opportunities for change. This research note examines whether such politicisation leads to increased street mobilisation, both in terms of who organises (supply) and who participates (demand). On the supply side, a 'professionalisation' of protest is expected, with more active institutional political and civil society actors. On the demand side, participation should rise. Relying on original protest event data from Germany (2000-2023), the analysis shows that campaign periods boost protest overall. Yet responses vary by election level: all groups mobilise most during first-order national elections. Regarding second-order elections, civil society actors and citizens respond more to subnational elections, suggesting localised protest dynamics, while institutional political actors focus on EU elections. This study adds to understanding how multi-level governance shapes 'unconventional' political behaviour and highlights the alignment and divergence between citizen activism and elite strategies during election campaigns.
Subjects: 
protest
election campaigns
multilevel systems
citizen-elite congruence
civil society
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Published Version

Files in This Item:





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.