ABSTRACT
The chapter looks at the interdependencies between economic and political crises. Drawing on a crisis approach as developed in the literature, it argues that the legitimacy crisis of parties has been intensified by the political implications of the Great Recession. The dynamics of crises have added urgency and uncertainty to the threat of party vulnerability. The democratization of candidate selection can be seen as an effort in crisis management. With the arrival of new parties and the further escalation of the legitimacy crisis there is enhanced potential for more open and competitive selection processes within established parties.
