The authors demonstrate how classical socioeconomic and religious cleavages that dominated 20th-century politics have eroded significantly. This transformation has created a more complex political space where new issues like immigration, environmental protection, and European integration have become central to political competition, fundamentally altering how parties position themselves and voters make their choices.

A detailed examination of how new political actors, particularly populist right-wing parties and green movements, have capitalized on emerging societal divisions. These newcomers have successfully mobilized voters around cultural identity issues, transnational concerns, and post-materialist values, challenging the dominance of established mainstream parties.

The book explores how political institutions struggle to adapt to these new patterns of conflict. It analyzes how traditional mechanisms of representation and decision-making are being strained by increased political fragmentation, volatile voter behavior, and the emergence of cross-cutting issues that don't fit neatly into traditional left-right divisions.