Who Governs the Digital? Ministerial Profiles in Technology Policy

Digitalization, new technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) have been, and continue to be, key drivers of profound social and anthropological transformations. In democratic political systems, political parties serve as crucial intermediaries in the chain of delegation between citizens and governments. This raises an essential question: who is responsible for shaping national regulations on these transformative topics? This study examines the political and technical profiles of ministers responsible for drafting legislation related to new technologies. Using a dataset developed by the author, which includes detailed information on ministerial characteristics and legislative initiatives across multiple European countries and legislative terms starting from the 2000s, the analysis sheds light on party preferences in selecting ministers tasked with such responsibilities. Covering at least six countries, preliminary results suggest that technical expertise is often prioritized over long-standing party careers. The main aim of this paper is, thus, to provide insights into the factors influencing these critical appointments across different countries and time periods.