V. 86 N. 1 (2023): The 2022 Italian general election
Articles

Career models in the new tripolar order. political profiles of the italian MPs after the 2022 general elections

Matteo Boldrini
Department of Political Science, Luiss Guido Carli
Selena Grimaldi
Department of Political Science, Communication and International Relations, University of Macerata

Pubblicato 2023-06-29

Parole chiave

  • Political Careers,
  • Political Professionalization,
  • Parliamentarians,
  • Multi-Level Systems,
  • Gendered Career Models,
  • 2022 Italian General Election
  • ...Più
    Meno

Come citare

Boldrini, M., & Grimaldi, S. (2023). Career models in the new tripolar order. political profiles of the italian MPs after the 2022 general elections. Italian Journal of Electoral Studies, 86(1), 51–65. https://doi.org/10.36253/qoe-14368

Abstract

The 2022 general election confirmed the instability of the Italian political system and in its shift from a bipolar to a tripolar competition dynamic. The article explores similarities and differences among MPs elected in 2022 during such electoral turmoil, aiming to understand their profiles and career paths. Specifically, the research investigates whether certain elements such as gender and affiliation with an organisational thick or thin party may influence the MPs’ career models. We run a multinomial logistic regression to test the effects on multilevel career patterns by relying on an original dataset which comprises the socio-economic and political characteristics of the current MPS and their career trajectories for a total of 588 observations. Our findings show that women are often newcomers, and they are more likely to display an alternative career model. They struggle to fully capitalize on the opportunities offered by multilevel democracy, both before and after attaining their position as MPs. Furthermore, MPs belonging to a party with a strong organisation are more likely to develop unidirectional and integrated models, indicating their ability to navigate the multilevel context with well-planned and structured career paths.

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