Federalism, two-level games and the politics of abortion rights implementation in subnational Argentina

Bibliographic Data

ID3972282
AuthorsAlba Ruibal (0000-0002-8749-9881, Full-Time Tenure Researcher, CIJS CONICET (National Scientific and Technologic Council), Cordoba, Argentina, corresponding author)
Year2018
Volume26
Issue54
Pages137-144
Publication date2018-11-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReproductive Health Matters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0968-8080 • E-ISSN: 1460-9576
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09688080.2018.1535687
PMID30427282
OpenAlexW2900605559
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited12

The implementation of the 2012 Argentinean Supreme Court landmark ruling, which declared abortion legal in all cases of rape and established standards of implementation of lawful abortions at all levels of government, shows an uneven pattern of compliance by subnational governments throughout the country. Based on a case-study of the implementation of the Court's decision in the province of Salta, this article advances an explanation of mechanisms that can affect the definition and enforcement of abortion rights at the local level, in a federation. Drawing on Putnam's concept of two-level games, it argues that, at critical junctures, local authorities and especially strong governors with presidential aspirations, may have electoral incentives at the national level to comply at least partially with national laws and judicial decisions which are contrary to their own ideological preferences and their local political allegiances. The study suggests that analyses of political opportunities for local reproductive rights activists in federal regimes should include the potential two-level games of local authorities, such as politicians with presidential aspirations, and judges who intend to pursue a career in national or international institutions. Through this analysis, the article intends to contribute to our understanding of the political determinants of subnational compliance with national abortion laws and court decisions in federal systems, and more generally, political factors and dynamics that shape inequities in the protection of women's rights under federalism

Abortion · Economics · Enforcement · Federalism · Incentive · Political science · Politics · Presidential system · Supreme court · Gender Politics and Representation · Judicial and Constitutional Studies · Law · Public Administration · Social Policy and Reform Studies