Parliamentary Representation

A Cross-national Study of Candidates’ Views

Bibliographic Data

ID6312431
AuthorsLaura Sudulich (University of Kent), Siim Trumm (0000-0002-2508-3346, University of Nottingham, corresponding author), Jack Bridgewater (University of Kent)
Year2020
Volume73
Issue3
Pages522-542
Publication date2020-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueParliamentary Affairs (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0031-2290 • E-ISSN: 1460-2482
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/pa/gsz009
OpenAlexW2921538556
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited46

This study explores political elites’ self-conceptualisation of parliamentary representation by using data on nearly 7000 candidates encompassing 18 elections in 15 countries. We examine the relevance of institutional features, closeness to the sources of representatives’ mandates, party family, as well as candidates’ personal characteristics, with a modelling strategy that accommodates the understanding of role orientation as a two-stage process. We posit that choosing between being loyal to a party or to voters is not equivalent to prioritising one’s own agency in the first place, and suggest that self-conceptualisation of parliamentary representation happens in two different stages. We find that individual-level characteristics such as gender and ideological proximity to one’s party, but also party family, play a key role in shaping views on authority versus independence. The effects of political environment and institutions are limited to shaping a choice between responding to one’s party or constituents

Agency (philosophy · Closeness · Ideology · Independence (probability theory · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Relevance (law · Representation (politics · Social science · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gender Politics and Representation · Law · Public Administration · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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