Work

Do political parties and youth wings shape political ambition differently? Insights from Spain

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Why do some young party activists build careers inside party organizations, while others move more quickly into public office? In this article, we show that the answer lies not only in young activists’ ambition, but also in the organizational arenas in which they are active. Drawing on three original surveys of activists attending the Spanish People’s Party and its youth wing, Nuevas Generaciones, conferences between 2008 and 2012, we demonstrate that the organizational setting systematically shapes early political trajectories. Youth wing activists are more likely to hold internal responsibilities and engage in organizational life, whereas those active in the party are more likely to secure public office. These findings highlight how youth wings and their parties provide distinct opportunity structures to shape political ambition within the same party ecosystem, relevant for political recruitment, career development and parties’ organizational survival.

Source: Parliamentary Affairs

DOI: 10.1093/pa/gsag007

Authors: Patricia Correa, Juan Rodríguez-Teruel

Institutions: Aston University, Universitat de València

Language: English

Topic: Electoral Systems and Political Participation

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,468