The relationship between government and opposition in the bundestag and house of commons in the run‐up to the Maastricht Treaty

Bibliographic Data

ID6406499
AuthorsMoshe Maor (0000-0003-0411-2977, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, corresponding author)
Year1998
Volume21
Issue3
Pages187-207
Publication date1998-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402389808425263
OpenAlexW4234769981
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited15

This article analyses modes of interaction between government and opposition in the German Bundestag and the British House of Commons in the run‐up to the Maastricht Treaty, and the implications of co‐operation or a lack thereof for the parties involved. The article is based on the premise that the government—opposition relationship is not derived solely from power relationships and institutional factors, but is also a matter of democratic legitimacy. Three indicators are used to ascertain the level of government—opposition co‐operation: the creation of parliamentary committees, information exchange and incentive management. Based on an institutional analysis and interviews with legislators, the finding is that although parties in Germany and the UK have created parliamentary committees dealing with European affairs, only in the former did the government utilise the new tool for co‐operation with the opposition, in terms of information exchange and incentive management. Consequently, informal co‐operation in Germany brought about an outcome compatible with the interests of the parties involved. By contrast, the lack of co‐operation with opposition parties in Britain led to an extreme parliamentary crisis

Commons · Economics · House of Commons · Incentive · Legitimacy · Market economy · Opposition (politics · Parliament · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Premise · Treaty · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Political Systems and Governance · Public Administration

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