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Abstract

Does Europe matter more on the evolution of national parties and party systems today? Is there a certain supranational impact on national dynamics? In 21st century, political arenas have been changing not only because of the economic crisis but also thanks to further politicization of Europe. This paper questions Peter Mair’s thesis on the limited impact of Europe on national party systems in the light of the current economic and political situation. The article positions political parties, including newly established ones, using the Chapel Hill Expert Survey and MARPOR data, while checking the impact of Europe on format and mechanics of party systems. It also provides an up-to-date volatility data set for Western Europe, using it for establishing the relationship between issue polarization of European integration and volatility, with time series cross section (TSCS) modelling. The findings show that Europe matters more in national electoral dynamics today.