Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Introduction: Re-conceptualizing Sub-state Mobilization

2009; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 19; Issue: 4-5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/13597560903310204

1743-9434

Eve Hepburn,

International Development and Aid

Abstract Throughout Europe, stateless nationalist and regionalist parties (SNRPs) have moved from ‘niche’ actors in party systems to mainstream political players. No longer the ‘outsider’ in party politics, these parties have successfully entered government at the regional and state levels and many have been responsible for pushing the agenda for radical constitutional change. Yet the success of SNRPs in moving from ‘protest to power’ is not without its challenges. This contribution explores the importance of nationalist and regionalist party adaptation to the twin challenges of multi-level politics (i.e. operating at the regional, state and European levels) and a multi-dimensional policy space, whereby they must articulate policy proposals alongside their territorial demands. As a result of these challenges, there is a need to re-conceptualize what SNRPs are fighting for, and the compromises they are willing to accept to achieve success. Keywords: Regionalismnationalismpolitical partiesmulti-level governance Acknowledgements This issue draws on papers presented at the conference ‘New Challenges for Stateless Nationalist and Regionalists. Adapting to Multi-level, Multi-dimensional Politics in Europe’ at the University of Edinburgh in November–December 2007. Many thanks are due to those who contributed to this discussion, in particular, Eduard Bonet, Ailsa Henderson, Luke March, Nicola McEwen and Wilfried Swenden. The author is also grateful to the Madison Trust, the Edinburgh University Strategic Support Fund and the Economic and Social Research Council (PTA-026-27-1484) for making this conference happen. Finally, the author thanks the ESRC and Leverhulme Trust (ref: 7/SRF/2007/0208) for supporting this research, and an anonymous referee for comments on an earlier draft. Notes The prefix ‘stateless’ is used to characterize nationalist and regionalist parties that operate in nations or regions that do not enjoy full statehood (for a comprehensive account of ‘nations without states’ or ‘stateless nations’, please see Keating Citation(1996) and Guibernau Citation(1999)). Stateless nationalist and regionalist parties furthermore operate at the sub-state level and seek to represent sub-state territorial interests, which should be distinguished from nationalist parties that operate at the state level and seek to represent state interests, i.e. the British National Party or Swiss People's Party. Nationalist and regionalist parties have established themselves as permanent political players in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK (see Massetti Citation(2009b) for a comprehensive list of relevant parties). They have also emerged in Finland (Ålands Framtid), the Netherlands (Fryske Nasjonale Partij) and Portugal (Partido Democrático do Atlântico) in Western Europe and in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia in Central and Eastern Europe. Prominent nationalist and regionalist parties have not appeared, however, in Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway or Sweden, which do not have significant territorial cleavages.