Harassment of Parliamentary Candidates in Established Democracies

• In Event: The Dynamics of Extremism in Democratic Regimes

Abstract

Recent elections have seen increased number of claims of harassment and intimidation of political elites. Candidates of all parties suffer intrusive and aggressive behaviours from members of the public but the threats vary in magnitude and seriousness. While there are very few studies that look into harassment of Parliamentarians, there is no comprehensive study of intimidation of candidates in general. Moreover, studies of electoral intimidation tend to focus on countries that suffer from other forms of violence but less it is known about the causes and effects of harassment in the context of peaceful democratic elections. This article presents results of 3 original surveys of parliamentary candidates who stood in the 2017 General Election in the UK, Germany and Chile. Results of the survey allow the comparison of experiences of harassment and intimidation of candidates and elected officials in countries that use different electoral and political systems. Are some candidates more likely to be targeted? What are the most common forms of harassment? Is harassment serious and/ or getting worse? What can be done about this issue?

Authors

• Sofia Collignon, Royal Holloway University of London

• Javier Sajuria, Queen Mary, University of London

• Wolfgang Rudig, University of Strathclyde