Prof. Dr. Alexander Trechsel
Full Professor of Political Science and Political Communication
T+41 41 229 55 90
alexander.trechsel@unilu.ch
Frohburgstrasse 3, Room 3.B14
CV
Prof. Dr. Alexander Trechsel, born the 6th of February in 1971 in Bern (CH), completed his BA and MA in Political Science at the University of Geneva. In 1999, he obtained his PhD in Political Science (with the highest distinction), also at the University of Geneva. From 2005 to 2016 Professor Trechsel held the Swiss Chair in Federalism and Democracy at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. In addition to this, he was from 2013 to 2016 Head of the Deparment for Political and Social Sciences at the same institute. Also, from 2012 to 2015, he was Faculty Fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University and a Faculty Associate there since 2015. Since the autumn term of 2016, he works as full professor for political science at the University of Lucerne.
Research
Major Fields of Research
- Comparative Politics
- Political Communication
- Political Behaviour
- Democracy
- European Integration
Publications
- Trechsel, A. H., & Kriesi, H. (2008). The Politics of Switzerland: Continuity and Change in a Consensus-Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2000). Feuerwerk Volksrechte: Die Volksabstimmungen in den schweizerischen Kantonen 1970-1996. Basel, Genf & München: Helbing & Lichtenbahn.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Serdült, U. (1999). Kaleidoskop Volksrechte: Die Institutionen der direkten Demokratie in den schweizerischen Kantonen 1970-1996. Basel, Genf & München: Helbing & Lichtenbahn.
- Canalejo-Molero, Á., Cicchi, L., Da Silva Ferreira, F., Garzia, D., Reiljan, A., & Trechsel, A. H. (2026). Priming common European and democratic values does not reduce affective polarization. Europan Political Science Review.
- Reiljan, A., Garzia, D., Dias Ferreira da Silva, F., & Trechsel, A. H. (2024). Patterns of Affective Polarization toward Parties and Leaders across the Democratic World. American Political Science Review, 118 (2), 654–670. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055423000485
- Dias Ferreira da Silva, F., Reiljan, A., Cicchi, L., Trechsel, A. H., & Garzia, D. (2023). Three sides of the same coin? comparing party positions in VAAs, expert surveys and manifesto data. Journal of European Public Policy, 30 (1), 150–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2021.1981982
- Planert, H., Mittermaier, F., Grosser, S., Fidzinski, P., Schneider, U. C., Radbruch, H., … Pengl, Y. I. (2021). Cellular and Synaptic Diversity of Layer 2-3 Pyramidal Neurons in Human Individuals. eLife. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.08.467668
- Cicchi, L., Garzia, D., & Trechsel, A. H. (2020). Mapping parties’ positions on foreign and security issues in the EU, 2009–2014. Foreign Policy Analysis, 16 (4), 532–546. https://doi.org/10.1093/fpa/oraa014
- Hurst, S., Belser, M., Burton-Jeangros, C., Mahon, P., Hummel, C., Monteverde, S., … Moon, S. (2020). Continued confinement of those most vulnerable to Covid-19. Kennedy Institute of Ethics journal, 30 (3), 401–418.
- Bright, J., Garzia, D., Lacey, J., & Trechsel, A. H. (2020). The representative deficit in different European Party Systems: an analysis of the elections to the European Parliament 2009-2014. Italian Journal of Electoral Studies, 83 (1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.36253/qoe-9531
- Reiljan, A., Dias Ferreira da Silva, F., Cicchi, L., Garzia, D., & Trechsel, A. H. (2020). Longitudinal dataset of political issue-positions of 411 parties across 28 European countries (2009–2019) from voting advice applications EU profiler and euandi. Data in Brief, 31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.105968
- Pianzola, J., Trechsel, A. H., Vassil, K., Schwerdt, G., & Alvarez, M. (2019). The impact of personalized information on vote intention: Evidence from a randomized field experiment. The Journal of Politics, 81 (3), 833–847.
- Garzia, D., Trechsel, A. H., & De Sio, L. (2017). Party placement in supranational elections: An Introduction to the euandi 2014 Dataset. Party Politics, 23 (4), 333–341. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068815593456
- Garzia, D., De Angelis, A., & Trechsel, A. H. (2017). Voting Advice Applications and Electoral Participation: A Multi-Method Study. Political Communication, 34 (3), 424–443.
- Vassil, K., Solvak, M., Vinkel, P., Trechsel, A. H., & Alvarez, M. (2016). The diffusion of internet voting. Usage patterns of internet voting in Estonia between 2005 and 2015. Government Information Quarterly, 33 (3), 453–459. https://doi.org/S0740624X1630096X
- Garzia, D., Bright, J., Trechsel, A. H., & Lacey, J. (2016). Europe’s Voting Space and the Problem of Second-Order Elections: A Transnational Proposal. European Union Politics, 17, 184–198.
- Garzia, D., & Trechsel, A. H. (2015). Systèmes d’Aide au Vote et Comportement politique: Tour d’horizon. Revue internationale de politique comparée, 23, 231–243.
- Trechsel, A. H., Bardi, L., & Bartolini, S. (2014). Party adaptation and change and the crisis of democracy. Party Politics, 20 (2), 151–159.
- Alvarez, M., Trechsel, A. H., Levin, I., & Mair, P. (2014). Party preferences in the digital age – The impact of voting advice applications. Party Politics, 20 (2), 227–236.
- Trechsel, A. H., Bardi, L., & Bartolini, S. (2014). Responsive or responsible? The role of parties in the 21st century politics. West European Politics, 37 (2), 235–252.
- Trechsel, A. H., Dinas, E., & Vassil, K. (2014). A Look into the Mirror: Preferences, Representation and Electoral Participation. Electoral Studies, 36, 290–297.
- Trechsel, A. H., Alvarez, M., Levin, I., & Vassil, K. (2014). Voting Advice Applications: how useful and for whom? Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 11, 82–101.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Gasser, U. (2013). Casting Votes over the Internet: What Switzerland Might Teach Us About the Future of Elections. Harvard international review, 53–57.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Glencross, A. (2011). First or Second Order Referendums? Understanding the Votes on the EU Constitutional Treaty in Four EU Member States. West European Politics, 34 (4), 121–145.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Mair, P. (2011). When parties (also) position themselves – an introduction to the EU Profiler. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 8 (1), 1–20.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2010). Reflexive Accountability and Direct Democracy. West European Politics, 33 (5), 1050–1064.
- Trechsel, A. H., Alvarez, M., & Hall, T. (2009). Internet Voting in Comparative Perspective: The Case of Estonia. PS: Political Science and Politics, 42 (3), 497–505.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2007). Inclusiveness of Old and New Forms of Citizens’ Electoral Participation. Representation, 43 (2), 111–121.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2005). How to Federalize the European Union ... and Why Bother. Journal of European Public Policy, 12 (3), 401–418.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2005). Introduction. Journal of European Public Policy, 12 (3), 397–400.
- Christin, T., & Trechsel, A. H. (2002). Joining the EU? Explaining public opinion in Switzerland. European Union Politics, 3 (4), 415–443.
- Trechsel, A. H., Barankay, I., & Sciarini, P. (2002). Institutional Openness and the use of Referendums and Popular Initiatives: Evidence from Swiss cantons. Swiss Political Science Review, 9 (1), 169–199.
- Sciarini, P., & Trechsel, A. H. (1998). Direct Democracy in Switzerland: Do Elites Matter? European Journal of Political Research, 33 (1), 99–124.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Sciarini, P. (1996). Démocratie directe en Suisse: l’élite politique victime des droits populaires? Revue Suisse de Science Politique, 2 (2), 201–232.
- Gilardi, F., & Trechsel, A. H. (2023). Digital Democracy. In Emmenegger, Patrik, Fossati, Flavia, Häusermann, Silja, Papadopoulos, Yannis, Sciarini, Pascal & Vatter, Adrian (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Swiss Politics (pp. 430–448). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780192871787.013.22
- Suhay, E., Grofman, B., & Trechsel, A. H. (2020). A framework for the study of electoral persuasion. In Suhay, Elizabeth, Grofman, Bernhard & Trechsel, Alexander H. (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of electoral persuasion (pp. 1–28). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Garzia, D., & Trechsel, A. H. (2020). The engagement of European political scientists with parties and the citizens: the case of voting advice applications. In Boncourt, Thibaud, Engeli, Isabelle & Garzia, Diego (Eds.), Political science in Europe: achievements, challenges, prospects (pp. 243–264). London: Rowman & Littlefield.
- Maggini, N., De Sio, L., Garzia, D., & Trechsel, A. H. (2019). Impact of issues on party performance. In De Sio, Lorenzo, Franklin, Mark & Russo, Luana (Eds.), The European Parliament Elections of 2019. Rome: LUISS University Press.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Garzia, D. (2019). Voting Advice Applications: The power of self-persuasion. In Suhay, Elizabeth, Grofman, Bernard & Trechsel, Alexander (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Persuasion. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Torcal, M., & Trechsel, A. H. (2016). Explaining Citizens’ Evaluations of Democracy. In Ferrin, Monica & Kriesi, Hanspeter (Eds.), How Europeans View and Evaluate Democracy (pp. 206–232). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Bardi, L., Bartolini, S., & Trechsel, A. H. (2015). Responsive and responsible? The role of parties in twenty-first century politics. In Bardi, Luciano, Bartolini, Stefano & Trechsel, Alexander H. (Eds.), The Role of Parties in Twenty-First Century Politics. London: Routledge.
- Garzia, D., Trechsel, A. H., Vassil, K., & Dinas, E. (2014). Indirect Campaigning – Past, Present and Future of Voting Advice Applications. In Trechsel, Alexander, Grofman, B. & Franklin, M. (Eds.), The Internet and Democracy in Global Perspective: Voters, Candidates, Parties, and Social Movements. New York: Springer.
- Garzia, D., Sudulich, M., Trechsel, A. H., & Vassil, K. (2014). Party placement in supranational elections: The case of the 2009 EP elections. In Garzia, Diego & Marschall, S. (Eds.), Matching Voters with Parties and Candidates.Voting Advice Applications in a Comparative Perspective. Colchester: ECPR Press.
- Trechsel, A. H., Sudulich, L., & Garzia, D. (2014). Party placement in supranational elections: The case of the 2009 EP elections. In Garzia, Diego & Marschall, Stefan (Eds.), Matching Voters with Parties and Candidates. Colchester: ECPR Press.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Ritter, D. (2014). Revolutionary Cells: On the Role of Texts, Tweets, and Status Updates in Nonviolent Revolutions. In Trechsel, Alexander, Grofman, Bernhard & Franklin, Mark (Eds.), The Internet and Democracy in Global Perspective: Voters, Candidates, Parties, and Social Movements (pp. 111–128). New York: Springer.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Hien, J. (2013). Einige Gedanken zur Geburtsstunde der Europäischen Bürgerinitiative. In Good, Andrea & Platipodis, Bettina (Eds.), Direkte Demokratie: Herausforderungen zwischen Politik und Recht: Festschrift zum 65. Geburtstag von Andreas Auer (pp. 415–427). Bern: Stämpfli.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2010). How much „second-order“ were the European Parliamentary Elections 2009? In Gagatek, Wojciech (Ed.), The 2009 European Parliamentary Elections – an E-Book. Florence: European Union Democracy Observatory.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2010). Spinelli’s Heritage: An Introduction to the European Union’s Post-Lisbon Challenge. In Trechsel, Alexander & Glencross, Andrew (Eds.), EU Federalism and Constitutionalism: The Legacy of Altiero Spinelli. Lanham: Lexington Books.
- Trechsel, A. H., Kersting, N., & Schmitter, P. (2008). Die Zukunft der Demokratie. In Kersting, Norbert (Ed.), Politische Beteiligung.Einführung in dialogorientierte Instrumente politischer und gesellschaftlicher Partizipation (pp. 40–62). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2007). Direct democracy and European integration – A limited obstacle? In Church, Clive H. (Ed.), Switzerland and the European Union (pp. 36–51). London: Routledge.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2007). E-voting and Electoral Participation. In Vreese, Claes (Ed.), Dynamics of Referendum Campaigns – An International Perspective (pp. 159–182). London: Palgrave.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2007). Popular votes. In Klöti, Ulrich (Ed.), Handbook of Swiss Politics: 2nd, completely revised edition (pp. 435–461). Zürich: NZZ Verlag.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2007). Volksabstimmungen. In Klöti, Ulrich (Ed.), Handbuch Politisches System der Schweiz: 4., vollständig überarbeitete Auflage (pp. 459–487). Zürich: NZZ Verlag.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2005). Curing democracy’s ills? Modern technology and democratic procedures. In Council of Europe (Ed.), Reflections on the future of democracy in Europe: Contributions to The Future of Democracy in Europe Conference Project on “Making democratic institutions work” (pp. 45–50). Strasbourg: Council Of Europe Publishing.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Mendez, F. (2005). The European Union and e-voting: upgrading Euro-elections. In Trechsel, Alexander & Mendez, Fernando (Eds.), The European Union and E-voting.Addressing the European Parliament’s internet voting challenge (pp. 1–25). London: Routledge.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2003). Perspektiven der e-democracy in der EU. In Trechsel, Alexander, Auer, Andreas & Koller, Thomas (Eds.), E-voting. Actes du colloque Informatique juridique 2002 (pp. 367–387). Bern: Stämpfli.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Hug, S. (2002). Clivages et identification partisane. In Hug, Simon & Sciarini, Pascal (Eds.), Changements de valeurs et nouveaux clivages politiques en Suisse (pp. 207–235). Paris: L’Harmattan.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2002). La politique et l’administration dans la société de l’information. In Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), Groupement de la science et de la recherche (GSR) & Office fédéral de la communication (OFCOM) (Ed.), La société de l’information en Suisse: Etat des lieux et perspectives (pp. 101–117). Neuchâtel: OFS.
- Trechsel, A. H., Kies, R., & Mendez, F. (2002). Remote voting via the Internet? The canton of Geneva pilot-project. In Gritzalis, Dimitri (Ed.), Secure Electronic Voting (pp. 181–194). Dordrecht, NL: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Kies, R. (2001). Le contexte socio-politique. In Trechsel, Alexander & Auer, Andreas (Eds.), Voter par Internet? Le projet e-voting dans le canton de Genève dans une perspective socio-politique et juridique (pp. 6–73). Basel, Genf & München: Helbing & Lichtenbahn.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Esposito, F. (2001). Why Plebiscite? A Critique of a Nebulous Concept. In Auer, Andreas & Bützer, Michael (Eds.), Direct Democracy: The Eastern and Central European Experience (pp. 271–278). Aldershot: Ashgate.
- Trechsel, A. H. (2000). Popular initiative in Europe. In Rose, Richard & et. al (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Elections. Washington DC: Congressional Quarterly.
- Trechsel, A. H. (1999). Volksabstimmungen. In Klöti, Ulrich (Ed.), Handbuch Politisches System der Schweiz (pp. 557–588). Zürich: NZZ Verlag.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Kriesi, H. (1996). Switzerland: the referendum and initiative as a centrepiece of the political system. In Gallagher, Michael & Vincenzo, Piero Uleri (Eds.), The Referendum Experience in Europe (pp. 185–208). London: Macmillan.
- Suhay, Elizabeth, Grofman, Bernard, & Trechsel, Alexander H. (Eds.). (2020). The Oxford handbook of electoral persuasion. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Grofman, Bernhard, Trechsel, Alexander H., & Franklin, Mark (Eds.). (2014). The Internet and Democracy in Global Perspective: Voters, Candidates, Parties, and Social Movements. New York: Springer.
- Trechsel, Alexander H., & Glencross, Andrew (Eds.). (2010). EU Federalism and Constitutionalism: The Legacy of Altiero Spinelli. Lanham: Lexington Books.
- Trechsel, Alexander H. (Ed.). (2006). Towards a Federal Europe? London: Routledge.
- Trechsel, Alexander, & Mendez, Fernando (Eds.). (2005). The European Union and E-voting. Addressing the European Parliament’s internet voting challenge. London: Routledge.
- Schmitter, Philippe, & Trechsel, Alexander H. (Eds.). (2004). Green Paper on the Future of Democracy in Europe: Trends, Analyses and Reforms. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
- Auer, Andreas, & Trechsel, Alexander H. (Eds.). (2001). Voter par Internet? Le projet e-voting dans le canton de Genève dans une perspective socio-politique et juridique. Basel, Genf & München: Helbing & Lichtenhahn.
- Ströbele, M. F., Leosk, N., & Trechsel, A. H. (19 June 2017). Two Countries/Two Decades/Two Outcomes: A brief comparison of e-government solutions in Estonia and Switzerland. xUpery Ltd., Zurich, commissioned by PROCIVIS.
- Trechsel, A. H., & Diethelm, R. V. (2010). Internet voting in Estonia -.A comparative analysis of four elections since 2005. Report for the Council of Europe. Strasbourg.
- Trechsel, A. H., de Witte, B., Demjanovic, D., Hellquist, E., & Hien, J. (2010). Legislating after Lisbon – New Opportunities for the European Parliament (EUDO Reports).
- Trechsel, A. H., & Diethelm, R. V. (2007). Internet Voting in the March 2007 Parliamentary Elections in Estonia: Report for the Council of Europe. Strasbourg.
- Breuer, F., & Trechsel, A. H. (2006). Internet Voting in the October 2005 Local Elections in Estonia. Report for the Council of Europe. Strasbourg.
- Cicchi, L., Reiljan, A., Garzia, D., Ferreira da Silva, F., & Trechsel, A. H. (2023). Party placement in the void: the European political space in 10 years of cross-national Voting Advice Applications. Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Research Paper No. 2023/20.
- Michel, E., Cicchi, L., Garzia, D., Dias Ferreira da Silva, F., & Trechsel, A. H. (2019). euandi2019: Project description and datasets documentation (EUI Working Papers No. RSCAS 2019). Fiesole: European University Institute.
- Trechsel, A. H., De Sio, L., & Garzia, D. (2017). 2014 as the First (Truly) European Elections? Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Research Paper No. RSCAS 2017/14.
- Garzia, D., Trechsel, A. H., De Sio, L., & De Angelis, A. (2015). euandi. Project Description and Datasets Documentation. (EUI Working Paper No. RSCAS 2015/01). Fiesole. Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2553919
- Bright, J., Garzia, D., Lacey, J., & Trechsel, A. H. (2014). Trans-nationalising Europe’s Voting Space (EUI Working Paper No. RSCAS 2014/02). Fiesole.
- Rose, R., & Trechsel, A. H. (2013). How Size Matters: Portugal as an EU Member (SPP Working Paper No. 500). Glasgow.
- Mair, P., & Trechsel, A. H. (2009). When parties (also) position themselves – an introduction to the EU Profiler (EUI Working Papers RSCAS No. 2009/65).
- Trechsel, A. H., Mendez, F., & Kies, R. (2003). The European Parliament and the Challenge of Internet Voting (Policy Paper of the European University Institute/The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies No. 3).
- Trechsel, A. H., Kies, R., Mendez, F., & Schmitter, P. (2003). Evaluation of the use of new technologies in order to facilitate democracy in Europe (STOA working paper).
- Trechsel, A. H. (1995). Clivages en Suisse. Analyse des impacts relatifs des clivages sur l’électorat suisse lors des élections fédérales (Etudes et Recherches No. 31).
Achievements
- Socio-political consequences of the digital revolution: a new cleavage? (Panel) contribution, Annual General Conference, European Political Science Association, Prague, 2022
- euandi2019: Project description and dataset documentation. (Panel) contribution, 13th ECPR General Conference, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, 2019
- euandi2019: Project description and dataset documentation. (Panel) contribution, 33rd Annual Conference of the Italian Society of Political Science (SISP), University of Salento, Lecce, 2019
- Making up one’s political mind. Party cues vs. self-persuasion in the Brexit referendum. Lecture, Swiss Political Science Association Annual Conference, Swiss Political Science Association, St.Gallen, 2017
- The representative deficit in different European Party System. Lecture, Western Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Western Political Science Association, San Diego, CA, 2016
- The Effect of Tailor-Made Information on Electoral Participation: The Case of Voting Advice Applications. Lecture, Annual Conference of the Italian Society of Political Communication (ComPol), Italian Society of Political Communication (ComPol), Salerno, 2015
- The representative deficit in different European Party Systems. Lecture, 9th ECPR General Conference, ECPR, Montreal, 2015
- Ist Die Zeit Reif? 2014 As the First (Truly) European Elections. Lecture, Western Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, NV, 2015
- Party placement in supranational elections: An introduction to the euandi 2014 dataset. Lecture, Western Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, NV, 2015
- Voting made meaningful and easy: An experimental assessment of the mobilizing potential of VAAs. Lecture, Western Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, NV, 2015
- 2014 As the First (Truly) European Elections? Lecture, 28th Annual Conference of the Italian Society of Political Science (SISP), Italian Society of Political Science (SISP), Perugia, 2014
- Party placement in supranational elections: A longitudinal analysis. Lecture, 28th Annual Conference of the Italian Society of Political Science (SISP), Italian Society of Political Science (SISP), Perugia, 2014
- Ist Die Zeit Reif? 2014 As the First (Truly) European Elections. Lecture, 8th ECPR General Conference, ECPR, Glasgow, 2014
- It is Not Your Preferences That Count, it is How They Are Counted: How the Choice of a Matching Algorithm Affects a Specific Vote Advice. Lecture, 8th ECPR General Conference, ECPR, Glasgow, 2014
- Assessing the Electoral Impact of Voting Advice Applications: Experimental Evidence from the Italian Election of 2013. Lecture, 2013 EUDO Dissemination Conference, European Univeristy Institute: European Union Democracy Observatory, San Domenico di Fiesole, 2013
- Assessing the electoral impact of VAAs: Preliminary evidence from a field experiment. Lecture, 7th ECPR General Conference, ECPR, Bordeaux, 2013
- Trans-nationalising Europe’s Voting Space. Lecture, 7th ECPR General Conference, ECPR, Bordeaux, 2013
- Trans-nationalising Europe’s Voting Space. Lecture, 3rd Annual General Conference of the European Political Science Association, European Political Science Association, Barcelona, 2013
Vested interests
- Mitglied der Eccellenza Komission beim SNF, SNF, 2018–
- Berater, xUpery Ltd., 2016–
- Mitglied der SELECTS-Kommission, Swiss Electoral Studies (SELECTS), 2016–
- Mitglied des SNF Stiftungsrats, SNF, 2013–
