September 12, 2025DemocratizationOpen Access

Opponents, not enemies: disentangling the relationship between polarization and democracy in Europe

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Analysis shows that partisan polarization improves democratic quality, while societal polarization undermines it.

Partisan polarization is linked to better democratic quality, whereas societal polarization leads to lower quality and trust in institutions.
Elite polarization significantly predicts worsening democratic quality, indicating the complex role of political conflict.
Affective polarization has a noteworthy influence, decreasing diffuse democratic support when it prevails.
Different forms of polarization and their impacts can yield diverse conclusions about democracy's state.

Muis et al. (2025) studied this question.

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