Foreword; Contents; Notes on Contributors; Introduction; The Significance andßImpact ofßtheßUnited Kingdom 2014 European Elections; An Economic andßFinancial Crisis Generating Economic andßFinancial Austerity; A Crisis ofßPolitical Representation: AnßAnti-ƯPolitics, Anti-Brussels andßAnti-Westminster Mood; The End ofßtheßTransitional Restrictions onßtheßFree Movement ofßMigrant Workers fromßBulgaria andßRomania; The 2014 European Elections: InßBetween theßMay 2010 andßtheßMay 2015 UK General Election; The Fragmentation ofßBritish Politics.

The End ofßtheßEuropean Elections asß"Second-ƯClass Elections"Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Online Resources; Exploring theß"Americanisation" ofßFrench Politics; Americanisation in French Politics?; Americanisation of French Politics?; Americanisation: AnßImperfect Prism Allowing Glimpses into aßTroubled Society.; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; The Case ofßDenmark: Voting, theßEuropean Union andßtheßConstitution; Constitutional Restraints; Voting onßtheßEuropean Union; Judicial Challenge; Conclusions; Notes; Bibliography; Cases; Literature.

Constitutionalising Electoral Politics: Democracy inßtheßBerlin RepublicList ofßAcronyms; Introduction; Legal Framework andßParty System; Constitutional Framework andßStatutory Features ofßtheßFederal Electoral System; From Strict Tri-Partite toßFluid Five-Partite: TheßParty System; Voting inßtheßShadow ofßtheßRevolution: TheßElection ofß1990; Decreasing Voter Turnout: Twilight ofßDemocracy?; Between Ever-Looming andßEver-Lasting Reform; Motives ofßReform; Proportional vs. Majority Vote; 5 % Threshold; Rules ofßApportionment ofßMandates; Negative Stimmgewicht; Überhangmandate.

Increasing theßElectorateBerlin vs. Karlsruhe: Institutional Repercussions ofßElectoral Conflicts; Notes; Bibliography; Podemos: TheßEmergence ofßaßNew Political Party inßSpain; Factors inßtheßEmergence ofßPodemos; A Favourable Context; The Electoral Effect ofßtheß15-M Movement; A Political Alternative; A Political andßCommunications Strategy; A Renewal ofßtheßPolitical Debate; Affirming theßPossibility ofßanßAlternative; The Role ofßLeadership andßCommunications; How Has Spain's Political Arena Been Transformed?; Bibliography.

Direct Democracy in Switzerland: Trends, Challenges and the Quest for SolutionsIntroduction; Direct Democracy in the Swiss Constitutional Order; Instruments of Direct Democracy; The Popular Initiative; The Referendum; Political and Legal Safeguards; Functions of Popular Initiatives; Examples of Controversial Initiatives; Initiatives Clashing with Human Rights; The 'Initiative on Internment'; The 'Anti-Minaret Initiative'; The 'Deportation Initiative'; The 'Paedophile Initiative'; Initiatives Clashing with the Agreement on Free Movement of Persons with the EU; 'Backlash Initiatives'