Coalition Governance and the Policy Agendas of Political Parties

Abstract

In coalition governments, setting the policy agenda is a constant balancing act. The process begins at government formation and when in office, parties engage in enforcement and interpretation of deals, and address new problems on the agenda. Coalition balance and equilibrium in the policy agendas of partners in office are quite vulnerable. Much research has been done on coalition governments and the mechanisms for making and maintaining them. More recent is the scholarly attention to the policy making activities of these coalition governments and their connection to existing approaches of formation, governance and termination. Empirical work on the positions of political parties, attention to problems, and on issue competition can help us better understand agenda-setting and its effects on policy decisions. The aim of this panel is to make such connections in the analysis of coalition governance. How do coalitions set policy priorities and what are the conditions and consequences during their term in office? Papers for this panel may address questions about coalition formation and effects on the policy agenda, about the way in which parties compete and set agreement over attention to problems and what do do about them, what topics make coalitions vulnerable, and how parliamentary support of majority or minority governments for policy choices evolves during coalition life cycles, from one election to the next.

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