Hinge parties in Mexico and the Use of Social Networks and Media Technologies: A comparison between Partido Verde Ecologista, Partido Nueva Alianza and Partido Movimiento Ciudadano

Abstract

Since the beginning of the new century in México, the traditional party system was affected by a new model of actors: the hinge parties. They are small political parties: Partido Verde Ecologista, Partido Nueva Alianza and Partido Movimiento Ciudadano, which have allied to traditional parties in electoral periods, even though they do not necessarily share ideological affinities. This strategy results have evolved positively for some of them, which have managed to overcome the electoral barrier and, consequently, maintain their official recognition as parties; some others had won federal, regional or local elections as a coalition. These hinge parties present an interesting paradox. They use intensively new media and social networks, and don´t have the traditional organizational model based on territories, instead they have virtual interaction and developed online tools in their internal and external communications. Nevertheless, they have a segmented, clientele and corporate type of electorate. They are also part of the political system, so they don´t present themselves as an alternative to the traditional parties. This paper aims to compare between these three parties; and how, when and who (inside) use these tools, how do their organization structures are affected by these? and how did the media and social networks influence on the electoral campaigns?Desde el comienzo del nuevo siglo en México, el sistema de partidos tradicional se vio afectado por una nuevo modelo de actores: las partes de bunion. Son pequeños partidos políticos: Partido Verde Ecologista, Partido Nueva Alianza y Partido Movimiento Ciudadano, que se han aliado a los partidos tradicionales en períodos electorales, a pesar de que no necesariamente comparten afinidades ideológicas. Esta estrategia los resultados han evolucionado positivamente para algunos de ellos, que han logrado superar el barrera y, en consecuencia, mantener su reconocimiento oficial como partes; algunos otros habrían ganado elecciones federales, regionales o locales como una coalición