TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effect of Ideological Distance on Voting Behaviour in Parliament Under Changing Economic Conditions
T2 - A Comparison Between Portugal and Spain
AU - Palau, Anna M.
AU - De Giorgi, Elisabetta
AU - Muñoz, Luz
AU - Cancela, Joao
N1 - info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F04627%2F2020/PT#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDP%2F04627%2F2020/PT#
UIDB/04627/2020
UIDP/04627/2020
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - In this article we empirically test the impact of ideological distance between opposition parties and incumbents on consensus in parliament in two different countries, Portugal and Spain, amid changing economic conditions. To do so, we employ the Comparative Manifesto Project database and develop a measure of ideological distance on the left-right and the centre-periphery dimensions based on parties’ preferences as expressed in their manifestos. We demonstrate that the economic crisis had different effects in the two countries. In Portugal, it amplified the negative impact on consensus of ideological distance between the incumbent and opposition parties. As expected, parties more distant from the incumbent on the left-right continuum were more likely to vote against legislation. In Spain, by contrast, changes in the party system forced traditional mainstream parties, especially the socialists, to increase their opposition in parliament. Moreover, the crisis amplified the effect of the centre-periphery dimension on parliamentary conflict. As a result, not only parties ideologically distant from the incumbent on the left-right continuum were more likely to vote against legislation.
AB - In this article we empirically test the impact of ideological distance between opposition parties and incumbents on consensus in parliament in two different countries, Portugal and Spain, amid changing economic conditions. To do so, we employ the Comparative Manifesto Project database and develop a measure of ideological distance on the left-right and the centre-periphery dimensions based on parties’ preferences as expressed in their manifestos. We demonstrate that the economic crisis had different effects in the two countries. In Portugal, it amplified the negative impact on consensus of ideological distance between the incumbent and opposition parties. As expected, parties more distant from the incumbent on the left-right continuum were more likely to vote against legislation. In Spain, by contrast, changes in the party system forced traditional mainstream parties, especially the socialists, to increase their opposition in parliament. Moreover, the crisis amplified the effect of the centre-periphery dimension on parliamentary conflict. As a result, not only parties ideologically distant from the incumbent on the left-right continuum were more likely to vote against legislation.
KW - Ideological distance
KW - Parliamentary opposition
KW - Political parties
KW - Voting behaviour
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165495279&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00344893.2023.2237045
DO - 10.1080/00344893.2023.2237045
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85165495279
SN - 0034-4893
SP - 1
EP - 27
JO - Representation
JF - Representation
ER -