BBC Democracy Day: Europe ‘faces political earthquakes’

Analysis feature. Political earthquakes could be in store for Europe in 2015, according to research by the Economist Intelligence Unit for the BBC's Democracy Day, 20 January 2015.

It says the rising appeal of populist parties could see some winning elections and mainstream parties forced into previously unthinkable alliances.

Europe's 'crisis of democracy' is a gap between elites and voters, EIU says.

There is 'a gaping hole at the heart of European politics where big ideas should be', it adds.

Low turnouts at the polls and sharp falls in the membership of traditional parties are key factors in the phenomenon.

Elections of various sorts in Greece, the UK, Denmark, Finland, Spain, France, Sweden, Germany and Ireland in 2015 are all likely to produce unpredictable results.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Europe’s far right gets the attention, but the left is making the political running http://www.europeansources.info/record/europes-far-right-gets-the-attention-but-the-left-is-making-the-political-running/

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