Why here and why now? A case study of the electoral success and failure of populist parties in Spain

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate what causes the electoral success of different subtypes of populism through the ideational approach. Through a case study of Spain, the thesis examines the demand-side and supply-side factors that, together, favour the emergence of populist parties. In doing so, the thesis combines process-tracing method with quantitative data, providing a context-specific understanding of the causes of populism in Spain. Through the examination of opinion surveys at the mass level between 2000 and 2019, this study finds that both the demand and supply must be considered to properly understand the populist surge and provides probabilistic support for the argument that times of crises activates populist attitudes. Moreover, the study shows that the ideological flavour of the populist party is important for the electorate, a finding that must be further tackled in future research.