Out Summer 2026! (here)
What explains the varying ideological profiles of social democratic parties in contemporary Western Europe? And why have some still accepted austerity after the Great Recession? This book argues that the answer lies primarily in structural conditions: the context-specific configurations of external constraints - economic globalisation, regional economic integration in the Eurozone, and sovereign debt - that shape the political room available to social democrats when defining their electoral programmes. Drawing on empirical evidence from 20 Western European countries between 1990 and 2019, and combining cross-national quantitative analysis with in-depth qualitative evidence on party rhetoric, the book develops and rigorously probes a configurational structural explanation for ideological differences within the social democratic party family. The findings carry urgent implications: where external constraints are most pressing, genuine ideological renewal may be structurally precluded. A must-read for scholars and practitioners concerned with the future of centre-left politics and the state of representative democracy.
"An excellent account of social democratic parties' responses to the challenge of growing external constraints."
– Stefano Bartolini (Professor Emeritus, EUI)
"This excellent book contributes essential evidence on how social democratic parties navigate changing external conditions."
– Silja Häusermann (Full Professor, University of Zurich)
"A captivating read for comparative politics scholars and anyone interested in the past, present and future of this party family."
– Line Rennwald (Senior Researcher, FORS - Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences)
"An important contribution in understanding the ongoing trajectories and dilemmas facing social democracy."
– Rob Manwaring (Associate Professor, Flinders University)
