Youth with clipped wings: Bridging the gap from youth recruitment to representation in candidate lists

Jalali, C., Silva, P., & Costa, E. (2024). Youth with clipped wings: Bridging the gap from youth recruitment to representation in candidate lists. Electoral Studies, 88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2024.102767

This article examines the role of partisan youth organizations in candidate selection and the factors influencing their success or failure, considering the interaction between formal mechanisms, informal practices, and institutional rules. The findings indicate that, despite providing a significant base of young members and potential candidates, their influence diminishes sharply as one moves up the political hierarchy.

The analysis covers Portuguese legislative elections from 2002 to 2019, investigating candidate list positions, party statutes, and semi-structured interviews. The study concludes that while the number of youth organization candidates increases in larger districts, this does not guarantee favorable positions on party lists. Many serve merely as "fillers," and few manage to be re-elected.

The study identifies a learning effect, where re-elected candidates tend to improve their positions, though most do not return to parliament. There is also evidence of a delayed learning effect, with a growing proportion of MPs with prior experience in youth organizations over time. However, the influence of these organizations heavily depends on internal support, particularly from party leaders. In parties where youth organizations lack formal representation, their presence on electoral lists is even weaker, relying almost entirely on the preferences of party leadership.