Dr. Felix Lehmann

Welcome!

I am Felix, and I am currently a PhD researcher in political science at the University of Gothenburg. where I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation in June 2026. During Fall 2026, I will be a visiting researcher at the University of Copenhagen. Previously, I have visited the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).

My research mainly focuses on party competition, public opinion, representation, elections, and European integration. In my dissertation, I studied the consequences of intra-party divisions for party strategies and voting behavior. Three dissertation papers have been published in the Journal of European Public Policy and West European Politics. 

My current research agenda focuses on two different facets of the representative relationship between voters and parties. The first part of this agenda examines bottom-up representation. I am interested in when parties align their policy positions with the public and when voters reward them for this. The first part of this work has been published in the European Journal of Political Research. 

The second part of my research agenda centers on top-down representation. Here, I examine if, how, and when parties can shape the issue priorities of voters. 

I supervise bachelor's and master's theses broadly related to my research interests. Students are welcome to reach out. I teach on both levels, primarily on subjects related to political parties, public opinion, and the EU.

In my spare time, I love to run, cook, and play football. To get in touch, please contact me via e-mail (felix.lehmann@gu.se) or on the social media platforms linked above.