Conceptualizing deliberation in parliaments: a study on the Spanish legislature

This paper analyzes the complex relation between political representation and deliberation in democratic parliaments, a key institution that has been paradoxically relegated to a secondary position within the recent works on deliberative democracy. Firstly, the paper argues the need for a systemic approach in order to grasp the complex connection between parliaments and other elements of the political system, which generates a variety of structural and contextual factors that influence the scope for deliberation within the legislative chambers. Secondly, the paper analyzes the IX Term (2008-2011) in the Spanish Congreso de los Diputados as a particularly interesting case to determine the deliberative margins within this institution. It is concluded that deliberation cannot be conceptualized in the idealized terms of classical parliamentarism, since deliberation, representation and negotiation of interests often interact in parliamentary work depending on the specific circumstances of each issue being discussed.