Portugal: EU Issue Voting in Mainstream and Challenger Parties

Abstract One of the “bailout countries” during Great Recession, Portugal is an interesting case-study to analyse EU politicisation and its effects at national level. In this chapter, media, parliamentary voting data provide a comprehensive picture role in Portuguese political behaviour. Trends issue are presented using salience tone mainstream media debates from 2002 2019. As expected, post-2009 period exhibits increase both debates. Yet, post-bailout stage, especially since left coalition government took office 2015, degree depoliticization detected, with improving among parties Parliament. A vote model then set up, post-2019 election online survey, examine which matters, benchmarking other issues were deemed relevant election. occurs Communists but also for PSD—signalling importance not only challenger parties. Moreover, it matters more than socio-economic included model.