In contrast to national elections, both parties and voters are assumed to think that "less is at stake" in European elections: Campaigns are less intense, turnout is lower, and citizens are more inclined to "vote with their hearts". The latter should be reflected in differing rationales of...

This article demonstrates that the issue-yield concept is able to predict the electoral strategies of mainstream and challenger parties at the 2017 German federal election. While the electorate of mainstream parties favour valence issues, the Greens and the AfD can gain more by concentrating on...