Negative Campaigning in a Multiparty System

The article has a dual purpose: First, it examines the extent of negative campaigning in a parliamentarian multiparty setting. Second, it attempts to move the understanding of the dynamics of negative campaigning beyond the American setting by exposing a Danish case to the American models, assumptions and theories of negativity. The data indicate that bad poll standings and fierce competition correlate positively with a higher degree of negativity in Denmark, like America. Likewise, parties and candidates seem to be reluctant to initiate negative campaigning. In addition, the exploration of the Danish case tentatively indicates that negativity in a multiparty system is aimed at a limited number of opponents structured according to coalition membership.