Using MP statements to explain voting behaviour in the German Bundestag
An individual level test of the Competing Principals Theory
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6314944 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ulrich Sieberer (0000-0003-4027-1393, University of Konstanz, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 284-294 |
| Publication date | 2015-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Party Politics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1354-0688 • E-ISSN: 1460-3683 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1354068812472584 |
| OpenAlex | W2128795101 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 34 |
| References cited | 32 |
Why do members of parliament (MPs) vote against the party line? Recent explanations of party unity focus on MPs cross-pressured between the demands of competing principals such as their party and local constituencies. This article tests key claims of the Competing Principals Theory on the level of individual deputies. It relies on public statements in which MPs explain their voting behaviour. This new data source allows more direct insights into MPs’ decision-making calculus than roll-call data. The article develops a theoretical model for the usage of such statements and the position MPs take vis-à-vis the party line. Empirically, it studies Explanations of Votes on all roll-call votes in the 16th German Bundestag (2005–2009) statistically controlling for sample selection. The analyses show among others things that district MPs take more critical stances, party leaders dissent less and government MPs are more likely to voice reservations without defecting in voting
Dissent · German · Government (linguistics · Law and economics · Linguistics · Parliament · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Voting · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Public Administration
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| Unique citing works | 34 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2,83 |
| Citation span | 2014 - 2025 (12) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 34 |