Translated title of the contribution | Formelle Verbindungen zwischen Parlamentariern und Interessengruppen |
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Original language | English |
Title of host publication | Handbook on Lobbying and Public Policy |
Place of Publication | Cheltenham |
Publisher | Edgar Elgar |
Chapter | 17 |
Pages | 209 |
Number of pages | 219 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781800884717 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781800884700 |
Publication status | Published - 9 Jul 2024 |
Abstract
In most democracies, parliamentarians can have formal roles in interest group bodies. Particularly during the last 10 to 15 years, such formal ties started to garner more scientific and public attention. As this chapter highlights, this relates to the increased importance of parliaments for interest representation. Empirically, the relevance of formal ties is reflected in their high degree of regulation, as newly collected regulatory data on 35 European countries reveal. The chapter then discusses the functioning and impact of formal ties at the micro-level. Interest groups provide information, electoral support, personal financial benefits, and career opportunities. In exchange, parliamentarians offer direct and indirect parliamentary influence, and a strong signal to interest groups’ stakeholders and other actors. This not only has implications for parliamentarians and interest groups, but also leads to situations where parties and voters compete with interest groups for influence over parliamentarians.
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 506014 Comparative politics
Keywords
- Interest groups
- Parliamentarians
- Electoral support
- Stakeholders
- Political parties