Ideological Polarisation in Spain

Debate: Political Polarisation. A Multidimensional Approach

Abstract

Ideological polarisation measures the degree of divergence in political identifications and opinions among different groups of citizens. Spain currently exhibits patterns of ideological polarisation comparable to those observed in other European countries. This type of polarisation has steadily increased throughout this century, leading to the formation of two distinct ideological blocs, whose potential voters differ in their positions on most key political issues. From a longitudinal perspective, polarisation on economic issues appears to have increased significantly more than that based on moral issues. This suggests that if the main divisions are concentrated along the economic axis, the potential for reaching agreements should be greater than if differences were primarily intensified in the realm of moral issues. Debates over taxation, redistribution or even immigration policy may be more manageable than moral issues related to sexual identities or abortion, where positions tend to be more deeply rooted in principles and identity.