theories of government formation Flashcards
what is the word to describe the largest party in the legislature?
Centripetal
what are the possible outcomes after a hung legislature? (3)
minority government, a fresh election or a multiparty coalition
who is the Formateur?
the leader of one of the parties who could become the prime minister
Who is the Informateur?
someone who brings the parties together to discuss the possibility of a coalition
what are the 2 traditional theories relating to predicting who will coalesce?
office based and policy based
what are the 2 areas within office based theory?
minimal winning and oversized
what is minimal winning?
where the minimal number of parties needed to form a coalition is used
what is the main principle relating to the minimal winning theory?
the size principle
what is the size principle?
A smallest amount of parties needed to coaline will mean less compromise, and more spoils of office in terms of cabinet positions
what is oversized?
the party which is the majority plus one other party thus giving them the majority
what is the assumption made by the ideological approach?
that the parties main focus is on implementation of policy
according to the ideological approach which parties are likely to form a coalition?
those which are closest in terms of ideology.
who proposed the combination theory?
Axelrod (1970)
what is the combination theory?
where people should take into account both policy and office considerations when predicting who will join
when the ideological approach is adopted, which type of government is likely to form?
minority government
What is Laver and Shepsle’s portfolio allocation model?
where different parties value different areas of their policy therefore take ownership of that area - such as the Greens and the environment
what are pre-formation institutional constraints on coalition formation? (3)
those incumbent have advantage in bargaining powers, anti-pacts or pacts, vote of investiture
what is the advantage of the incumbent?
the fourmateur can shape the outcome, they can use cabinet reshuffles and early elections to give themselves the advantage - Baron 1993
what is the criticism to the spatial model of formation (that the incumbent has the advantage)?
party could be unpopular therefore preserving the status quo would not be desirable
at what point does the incumbent have the advantage?
the reversion point
example of an anti-pact?
Germany - 1978 - SPD and CDU
does an anti-pact affect the results of the coalition formation?
they are usually hounered
a vote of investiture normally…
favors the majority
what is the effects of post formation institutional features on a coalition?
if a coalition is unworkable due to the institutional set up post it will not be formed in the first place
