How Italy's Five-Star Movement Lost Its Grip on Voters in a Decade
Italy's Five-Star Movement (M5S) once dominated elections with its anti-corruption stance and broad appeal. Founded in 2008, the party positioned itself beyond traditional left-right politics, focusing on five key issues to attract voters. Yet by 2022, its support had dropped sharply, slipping to third place after years in coalition governments. M5S surged in the 2013 and 2018 elections, securing the largest share of votes both times. The movement's success came from framing itself as a competence-driven, non-ideological alternative—what experts call valence populism. Over a quarter of its 2018 supporters refused to place themselves on the left-right spectrum, showing its wide but shallow appeal.
Research later revealed that this approach carried risks. Between 2018 and 2020, only 51.8% of M5S backers stayed loyal. Another 29.2% switched to rival parties, while 19% abandoned party politics entirely. Voters who struggled to pin down M5S ideologically in 2020 were 24% more likely to disengage, and frustration with leadership pushed desertion rates up by around 15%.
The pattern highlights a broader trend: valence populist parties rise quickly by promising competence and clean governance, but they falter if they fail to deliver. Joining coalitions diluted M5S's anti-establishment image, and its policy inconsistencies alienated supporters. Studies suggest that once such parties appear ideological or ineffective, their broad but fragile voter base collapses.
A similar dynamic is now unfolding in Hungary. Péter Magyar's TISZA party, launched this year, mirrors M5S's early strategy—prioritising anti-corruption and public service reforms over ideology. Like M5S in its prime, TISZA has drawn a diverse following, from disillusioned Fidesz voters to left-wing defectors. But as M5S's decline shows, valence populism's electoral strength can become its greatest weakness if expectations go unmet. M5S's fall from first to third place in a decade underscores the instability of valence populism. While its broad, non-ideological platform initially attracted millions, unmet promises and perceived shifts in direction drove voters away. The party's trajectory serves as a case study for newer movements like TISZA, where early momentum may not guarantee long-term success.
Read also:
- Executive from significant German automobile corporation advocates for a truthful assessment of transition toward electric vehicles
- Crisis in a neighboring nation: immediate cheese withdrawal at Rewe & Co, resulting in two fatalities.
- United Kingdom Christians Voice Opposition to Assisted Dying Legislation
- Democrats are subtly dismantling the Affordable Care Act. Here's the breakdown
