at Google ScholarTitle data
Stadelmann, David ; Torrens, Gustavo ; Portmann, Marco:
Mapping the theory of political representation to the empirics : An investigation for proportional and majoritarian rules.
In: Journal of Comparative Economics.
Vol. 48
(2020)
Issue 3
.
- pp. 548-560.
ISSN 0147-5967
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2019.11.002
Abstract in another language
We combine roll call votes and referendum decisions on identically worded legislative proposals to identify the effect of electoral rules on the way Swiss Members of Parliament (MPs) represent their constituents’ preferences. We exploit the fact that MPs in both Houses of Parliament are elected in the same electoral districts (the cantons). Yet, in the Lower House, MPs are elected using a proportional rule, while in the Upper House they are elected employing a majoritarian rule. We find that electoral rules matter strongly for political representation. The voting patterns of MPs are fully in line with three theoretical predictions regarding the influence of electoral rules on representation of constituents’ preferences: 1) The probability that a proportional-elected MP accepts a legislative proposal closely follows the share of voters that accept the proposal in the referendum. 2) In contrast, for majority-elected MPs the probability of acceptance is strongly increasing in the share of voter acceptance if the latter is close to the 50% threshold. 3) The estimated probability that an Upper House MP votes “yes” as a function of the share of voters voting “yes” in the referendum has an S-shape form with an inflection point close to 50%.
Further data
| Item Type: | Article in a journal |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Keywords: | Electoral rules; Voting; Political representation; Behavior of politicians |
| Institutions of the University: | Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Economics Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Economics > Professor Economics with a focus on development economics Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Economics > Professor Economics with a focus on development economics > Professor Economics with a focus on development economics - Univ.-Prof. Dr. David Stadelmann Profile Fields > Emerging Fields > Governance and Responsibility Faculties Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics Profile Fields Profile Fields > Emerging Fields |
| Result of work at the UBT: | Yes |
| DDC Subjects: | 300 Social sciences > 330 Economics |
| Date Deposited: | 11 Nov 2020 07:50 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Nov 2020 07:50 |
| URI: | https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/59325 |