Hermann Schmitt
Multiple Party Identifications

Berlin
,
2002

This paper does three things. It explores the importance of the phenomenon: how prominent a feature of political orientations are multiple PIDs? It then tests three institutional factors that might be conducive to multiple PIDs – the format of the party system, the electoral system, and the age of a democratic polity. It finally assesses the effect of single vs. multiple PIDs on vote choice. It shows (1) that multiple party identifications are of more than marginal fre-quency and importance; (2) that the limited electoral experience of voters in new democracies is the best predictor of multiple PIDs; and (3) that the behavioural consequences of multiple PIDs are comparatively low.