The usefulness of these ideas is measured and checked against new evidence from twenty-three countries. These ideas are then used to produce advance predictions of ten elections in different countries which are then checked against actual results. The reader can use the methods to make his own predictions for elections which interest him. In many ways this makes Explaining and Predicting Elections the most comprehensive and useful investigation of the election process yet produced. It will interest the general reader, political practitioner, historians, and election and area specialists.
Ian Budge is a political scientist who has pioneered the use of quantitative methods to study party democracy across countries. Currently Emeritus Professor of the Department of Government, University of Essex, he has been Professor at the European University Institute, Florence, and visiting professor at various institutions in five other countries.
Dennis J. Farlie