Beyond party lines: radical left party linkage before and after local-level government

Abstract Research suggests that when RLPs enter national government their linkages tend to weaken because policy compromise is followed by movement demobilisation, and as the party in public office gains influence over the party organisation. Little is known, however, about radical left linkage or potential incumbency effects at the local level where RLPs have more experience of governing. This article addresses this gap by focusing on four RLPs, that headed local councils during the last decade (AKEL, Die Linke, SP, and SV). The analysis of the reported linkage activities of the respective local branches of these parties before and after taking office questions whether an incumbency effect exists at the local level. The findings instead demonstrate that RLPs tend to engage in local level linkages which directly promote aspects of their radical left policy agenda and highlight the role of ideological and organisational variables in shaping RLP links with social groups.