Political Parties and Electoral Clientelism

Contemporary political parties have harnessed the influence over state resources to secure electoral victories, giving rise to the evolution of electoral clientelism. What was once a simple act of vote buying has transformed into a nuanced system of exchanges, where the intricate ties between patrons (parties or candidates) and clients (voters) can become difficult to grasp. This volume adopts a multifaceted approach by examining clientelism from various perspectives. The authors delve into the dynamics of distributive politics and electoral clientelism, unveiling their intricate interactions and exploring the variations that emerge across diverse contexts. Multiple theoretical contributions provide valuable insights into conceptualizing electoral clientelism as a dynamic process, occurring through different sequences. Moreover, by refining and expanding methodological approaches, readers gain more effective means to investigate and analyze the complexities of clientelistic practices.These advancements contribute to the burgeoning literature on electoral clientelism, making it a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners interested in the complex dynamics of electoral clientelism. Sergiu Gherghina is Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics, University of Glasgow, UK. Miroslav Nemcok is Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science, University of Oslo, Norway.