What are the key factors to describe and explain the consolidation of a democracy or its possible internal crisis? After providing a few conceptual guidelines and the empirical indicators of consolidation and crisis, a systematic comparative analysis of the following aspects in the four Southern European countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece) is unfolded: consensus and legitimation, party systems and party organizations, and relationships of organized and non‐organized interests with parties and state institutions. The consequent models of consolidation, and the related explanations, a ... More

What are the key factors to describe and explain the consolidation of a democracy or its possible internal crisis? After providing a few conceptual guidelines and the empirical indicators of consolidation and crisis, a systematic comparative analysis of the following aspects in the four Southern European countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece) is unfolded: consensus and legitimation, party systems and party organizations, and relationships of organized and non‐organized interests with parties and state institutions. The consequent models of consolidation, and the related explanations, are given. What happens later in those countries is analysed with special reference to dissatisfaction, discontent, and perceived inefficacy. The concluding remarks pay attention to the ‘quality’ of democracy.