Political representation in time of crisis : Italy in comparative perspective

Taking cue from an international project with the aim to collect data on candidates running for parliamentary elections in various countries, this seminar tries to discuss the findings of the related volume "La rappresentanza politica in Italia. Candidati ed elettori nelle elezioni politiche del 2013", edited by Aldo Di Virgilio and Paolo Segatti (Il Mulino, 2016). The presentation provides a considerable quantity of information on candidates’ socio-demographic characteristics, on their career path and previous political experiences. Moreover, it focuses on their opinions on relevant topics and analyses differences between and within parties, also investigating the role of party discipline. Ultimately, what emerges is an up-to-date picture of the representational relationship between citizens who choose to run in an elections and their voters in Italy.