second-order elections

   Second-order elections are contests other than general elections, for example local and regional ones. Some voters take the view that these are less important than first-order ones, because they do not determine which party is in government. They therefore feel free to take the opportunity to punish the current governing parties. Their protest may be registered by abstention or voting for different (often minor) parties. Elections to the European Parliament are also considered to be second-order national elections. Again, voters use their choices for representatives to the Strasbourg body to send signals to their national governments.