Green parties: the rise of 4
a new politics?
Contents
Green party electoral performance: an overview 88
Is there a new politics? 91
New social movements? 91
Environmentalism as middle-class elitism? 92
Environmentalism as postmaterialism? 94
Green parties as new politics? 96
The political opportunity structure and green party success 99
Germany 100
France 102
Britain 104
Explaining green electoral performance 105
Whatever happened to the environment? 109
New challenges 110
Conclusion 112
Further reading and websites 113
Key issues
◗ What is the ‘new politics’?
◗ How can the emergence of green parties be explained?
◗ Who are the green voters?
◗ Why do people vote green?
◗ What factors explain variations in the electoral success of green parties?