Abstract Well‐functioning political representation presupposes that the substantive focus of parties‘ parliamentary efforts reflects issues on which parties campaigned. Although link between electoral campaigning and practice is crucial for successful in modern democracies, we still have little evidence actors campaigned are ones they day‐to‐day politics. We investigate by examining overlap issue attention manifestos questions. Our results local campaigns councils Germany 2011 2020 show...

This article examines the determinants of coalition formation on local level. In addition to standard office- and policy-seeking variables, we incorporate institutional setting constraints politics emerging from patterns party competition at superior level political system. We test our expectations basis a dataset providing information characteristics potential formed coalitions in 29 German cities. The results show that – even level, which is often described as less politicised not only...

Partisan conflicts have been frequently analysed in comparative political science research. Yet little is known about the dimensions of conflict at local level multi-level democracies. This article contributes to literature on estimation and analysis party positions by first presenting a new dataset more than 800 manifestos Germany that allows for systematic German level. Secondly, it demonstrated (semi-)automatic content these texts offers promising approach gaining insights into positions....

The level of attention parties devote to specific issues is one the key factors in parties’ electoral campaign strategies. Research so far only scarcely focused on towards at subnational level—even though some are primarily dealt with this level. Building a novel data set covering 679 regional election manifestos Austria and Germany between 1990 2019, we assess influence party-specific contextual issue attention. More specifically, hypothesize that party’s national ownership has positive its...

How does EU funding to European regions affect sub-national parties' support for integration? This paper aims at analysing whether the regional development policy contributes setting up institutions and integration thus strengthens whole 'European idea' among political parties. To answer this research question, article analyses election manifestos of parties acting on level in Germany, Netherlands, Spain UK two programming periods: 2007─2013 2014─2020. The results show that are more...

Descriptive representation matters for substantive representation. Yet, one key legislator characteristic has received comparatively little attention in research on representation: the occupational background of members parliament. In this article, it is argued that shapes patterns since choice occupation both indicates certain interests while also generating expertise issues related to job. order assess proposition, there an analysis whether local councillors' occupations affect their issue...

Parties should develop a consistent issue profile during an electoral campaign. Yet, manifestos, which form the baseline for party’s programmatic goals in upcoming legislative period, are usually published months before Election Day. We argue that parties must emphasize policy issues of key relevance to their likely voters last weeks election campaign, increasing share citizens make up minds terms party they will choose. To test this notion empirically, we draw on novel data set covers...

Abstract What are the strategies of political parties in multi-level government systems and how do voters respond to these strategies? At national state level, many researchers have worked with data from party manifestos, candidate lists, press releases, parliamentary questions, speeches. local standard components science toolbox not available countries—including Germany. The absence means that politics at level remains chronically understudied. In this research note, we draw attention...

Endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) has become the standard practice in sinonasal and anterior skull base surgery. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe experience using a new technology-the image guided navigation system (IGNS)-in complex cases undergoing EES. advantages disadvantages computer aided are discussed.A total 165 endoscopic procedures were performed between April 2001 January 2003. IGNS was used 34 patients whom it assumed that ability identify surgical sites accurately...

Scholars mostly concentrate on those agreements that are written at the national level when analysing coalition agreements. However, there also a considerable amount of sub-national levels. This paper analyses commonalities and differences in German multi-level system national, regional local level. From legal jurisdiction perspective, one would expect major across political levels topics covered governance however, additionally government parties devote their attention to policy domains lie...

How do parties react to unanticipated events such as external shocks? Do they adapt the consequences of shock or disregard them? Using global financial crisis an empirical example and testing expectations for parties' economic policy shifts in 23 European democracies based on Chapel Hill Expert Survey data, article demonstrates that government more than opposition parties, particularly countries where has been severe. This implications a broader literature comparative politics by fostering...

Abstract Coalition governments prevail at the European subnational level. Although some studies explain formation of government coalitions, we know little about determinants individual parties' likelihood joining such coalitions. This article aims to fill this gap in empirical and theoretical ways. It shows that an important institutional constraint matters for political actors' strategies when forming coalitions: party affiliation directly elected head executive. Being executive or being...

Together with its further widening and deepening, the character of EU has changed fundamentally during last two decades. Acknowledging this development, politics-dimension become visibly more relevant in research on EU. This “politics turn” is accompanied by an increased interest political behavior individual collective actors—voters, parties, groups, executive agencies, mass social media—in multi-level system. The objectives thematic issue are to conceptually, empirically, methodologically...

Elections are at the heart of representative democracies. Whereas study national elections is a prominent field in comparative politics, we still know little about subnational political actors' behaviour. We seek to close this gap by applying dictionary coding approach analyse parties' issue-based content 743 manifestos Austria and Germany. show that parties emphasize regional topics less if happen but focus more on both mixed their party organization government. This has important...

Drawing on empirical evidence from 11 CDU–Green coalitions in large German municipalities, this article investigates the determinants of formation and termination black–green minimal winning coalitions. Such are likely to be formed if mayor is a party member either CDU or Greens, one two parties dominates local system, SPD suffers severe vote losses. Furthermore, results indicate that primarily neither nor Greens have gained parliamentary majority with their 'usual' coalition partners....

Six patients developed persistent muscular cramps, aching pain, and fatigability after an influenza-like illness. Electromyography showed myopathic changes, although results of routine laboratory investigations were normal in all but one patient, whose serum creatine kinase concentration was slightly increased. All the improved: three asymptomatic within to two years. The syndrome probably a benign form polymyositis.

Candidates with local ties perform better than their rivals without such attachments. We focus on the underlying mechanism of localness effect and hypothesise that voters prefer candidates for instrumental reasons, expecting representation, reasons a shared place identity. To test these expectations, we rely unusually detailed ballot elections in German state North Rhine-Westphalia. Using multi-level regressions electoral results 6503 running 21 cities 2014, confirm importance candidate...

ABSTRACTState elections in Germany’s multi-level polity have important implications for politics at both the regional and federal level: state governments’ composition makes a difference policy outputs government’s political leeway. We provide novel insights into long-term trends elections, including aspects of voting behavior, party systems, government formations, covering between 1946 2023. argue that commonly held belief parties try to avoid coalitions bridging government-opposition...

Abstract Political parties are not free to choose which issues focus on in parliament. At the national level, it is mostly economic and societal problem pressures impact parties' issue attention. In this paper, we argue that at lower levels of multilevel governance systems, additionally limited by institutional financial constraints beyond their decision‐making competencies, should Based a novel dataset local parliamentary questions regarding 19 policy areas 35 German councils between 2011...

This study addresses a fundamental question in democratic systems: how do government parties allocate executive portfolios? While extensive research has tackled this at the national and regional levels, there is notable gap understanding local level. issue by analysing portfolio allocation level Germany. Both quantitative aspect, focusing on number of portfolios, qualitative examining distribution across policy fields, are explored. The findings reveal highly politicised approach to Local...