Niche parties in the Benoit and Laver expert survey Note: 1) This list is not to be treated as exhaustive as the expert survey restricted itself to the most important parties in each country. Many smaller parties are therefore not included in the dataset. 2)Only countries with more than three parties are included in the analysis as it is not reasonable to calculate mean salience scores with just one or two competitors. While smaller party systems may also have niche parties, it is difficult to assess relative levels of salience if the number of other competitors is so small. This excludes Malta and the United States from the sample for this survey. 3) Party family information is taken from the CMP dataset. 4) For more on the survey and precise question wording, see: Benoit, K. and M. Laver (2006) Party Policy in Modern Democracies, Routledge, London. Country Party Party family Niche issues Austria Freedom Party (FPÖ) Liberal Immigration Greens Green Immigration, Social policy, Environment Belgium National Front (FN) n/a Social Policy, Immigration New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) n/a Decentralization Vlaams Blok (VB) Ethno-regionalist Decentralization, Immigration, Social Policy Britain Plaid Cmyru Ethno-regionalist Decentralization Scottish National Party Ethno-regionalist Decentralization Canada Bloc Quebecois Ethno-regionalist Decentralization, Quebec Green Party Green Environment Denmark Christian People's Party (KrF) Christian Democratic Social Policy Finland Christian Democrats (KD) Christian Democratic Social Policy True Finns (PS) Agrarian Immigration, Social Policy, EU: Authority Green League (VL) Green Immigration, Social policy, Environment France Mouvement pour la France n/a Social Policy, Globalization, EU: Larger/stronger Rassemblement pour la France n/a EU: Larger/Stronger Front National Nationalist Immigration, Globalization, EU: Larger/stronger Germany German People's Union (DVU) n/a Immigration, EU: Authority, Social Policy Green Party Green Social Policy, Environment, Immigration National Democratic Party (NPD) n/a Immigration, EU: Authority, Social Policy Republicans (Rep) n/a Immigration, EU: Authority, Social Policy Schill Party n/a Immigration Greece Synaspismos Communist Decentralization, Environment, EU: Accountability, Immigration Ireland Greens Green EU: Peacekeeping, Environment, EU: Strengthening Sinn Fein Special Issue EU: Peacekeeping, Northern Ireland Italy Green Party (FdV) Green Environment MSFT Nationalist Social Policy, Immigration Pannella-Bonino List n/a Social Policy Netherlands Christian Union Christian Democratic Social Policy Democrats 66 Liberal Social Policy, EU: Accountability Reformed Political Party (SGP) n/a Social Policy New Zealand New Zealand First Party Conservative Immigration Norway Christian People's Party (KrF) Christian Democratic Social Policy Portugal Ecology Party (PEV) Green Immigration, Social policy, Environment Spain Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) Christian Democratic Decentralization Sweden Centre Party Agrarian Decentralization Green Party (MP) Green Environment, Decentralization, EU: Peacekeeping, EU: Accountability Switzerland Green Party Green Environment Swiss Democrats (SD) Nationalist Immigration.