Party Change In Southern Europe (south European Society And Politics)

It has been argued that political parties are weakening. In Southern Europe, however, political parties have shown remarkable pragmatism. Not only have they played a crucial role in the installation and consolidation of democracy, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, but they have also adapted to the aftermaths of severe political crises during the 1990s. __Party Change in Southern Europe__ addresses a basic issue: Have parties in Southern Europe weakened over the decade 1995-2005? Or have they rather changed? And if so, how have they changed? To answer these questions the authors analyze the transformations undergone by the two main parties in Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Turkey and Cyprus (North and South) focusing on several dimensions of change. For each political group, systematic analysis is offered on: * party organization * electoral politics * competitive strategies * party values and programmes. This book was previously published as a special issue of __South European Society and Politics.__ This Work Attempts To Address The Question Of How And Why Political Parties In Southern Europe Have Weakened Between 1995-2005, Analysing The Transformations Undergone By The Two Main Parties In Italy, Spain, Turkey And Cyprus Among Others. What Changes In South European Parties? A Comparative Introduction / Anna Bosco And Leonardo Morlino -- The Woes Of Being In Opposition : The Psd Since 1995 / Carlos Jalali -- The Importance Of Winning Office : The Ps And The Struggle For Power / Marco Lisi -- If It Isn't Broken, Don't Fix It : The Spanish Popular Party In Power / Javier Astudillo And Elena García-guereta -- Turning The Page : Crisis And Transformation Of The Spanish Socialist Party / Mónica Méndez Lago -- Forza Italia : A Leader With A Party / Francesco Raniolo -- The Democratici Di Sinistra : In Search Of A New Identity / Daniela Giannetti And Rosa Mulé -- From Opposition To Power : Greek Conservatism Reinvented / Takis S. Pappas And Elias Dinas -- Party Change In Greece And The Vanguard Role Of Pasok / Michalis Spourdalakis And Chrisanthos Tassis -- Party Change And Declopment In Cyprus (1995-2005) / Christophoros Christophorou -- From Political Islam To Conservative Democracy : The Case Of The Justice And Development Party In Turkey / Ergun Özbudun -- Old Soldiers Never Die : The Republican People's Party Of Turkey / Ilter Turan. Edited By Anna Bosco And Leonardo Morlino. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Previously published as a special issue of "South European Society and Politics", this volume examines how and why political parties in Southern Europe have weakened between 1995-2005 by analyzing the transformations undergone by the two main parties in Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Turkey and Cyprus, focusing on key dimensions of change.