Using a panel data survey in which the second wave was made just before and after the eruption of the anti-austerity protests in Spain, and identifying those who participated in the events thanks to a question in subsequent waves, I leverage quasi-experimental evidence supporting that political protests can substantially alter the perception of political parties on the left-right dimension. I show that leftist citizens who participated in the anti-austerity protests perceived that the center-left incumbent party moved to the center and that this perception remained stable over time. This situation led to an empty political space that opened a window of opportunity for other parties willing to capitalize on this crisis of representation. Beyond showing that political protests can quickly alter citizens’ perceptions of parties on the left-right dimension, this article suggests that protests can exacerbate representation crisis.
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