Representative Government in Modern Europe

1 Introduction Background Our Approach Modern Approach Plan of Campaign Modern Europe in Vital Statistics 2 Constitutions, Judges, and Politics European Constitutions Judicial Review The Appointment of Judges Judges and Law-Making Conclusion Box 2-1: Constitutions Box 2-2: The Courts and Politics 3 The Executive The Head of State The Prime Minister The Cabinet The Making and Breaking of Governments Putting it all Together Box 3-1: Executives and Heads of State 4 Parliaments Parliaments and Governments The Roles of Parliaments Parliaments and Parties Parliamentarians and Constituency Representation European Parliaments: One Chamber or Two? The Significance of Parliaments: An Assessment Box 4-1: The Power of Parliament 5 The European Union and Representative Government The Development of European Unity How the European Union Works What does the European Union do? The European Union: Intergovernmental or Supranational Organization? The Future of the European Union Representative Government in the European Union Box 5-1: The European Union 6 Levels of Governance Politicians and the Civil Service Levels of Governance Federal Government in Modern Europe The Growing Importance of Regional Government Local Government Conclusions: Federal Government, Local Politics and Decentralization Box 6-1: Regional and Local Government 7 Patterns in Party Politics and Party Systems Seven Western European Party Systems Uniformity and Diversity 8 Party Families Families of the Left Families of the Center and Right Other Parties Overview: Party Families and Party Systems Box 8-1: The Left Box 8-2: The Center and Right 9 Cleavage Structures and Electoral Change The Traditional Cleavage Structures in Western Europe The Persistence of Cleavages and the Freezing of Party Systems From Persistence to Change Change in European Cleavage Structures and Electoral Behavior Change Toward What? Evaluating Change and Stability Box 9-1: Traditional Cleavage Structures Box 9-2: Trends in Electoral Volatility 10 Inside European Political Parties What do Parties Do? Basic Party Organization Party Membership Power Within Parties The Future of European Parties Box 10-1: Membership of Political Parties Box 10-2: Selection of Parliamentary Candidates 11 Elections, Electoral Systems, and Referendums Elections in Europe Types of Electoral Systems Plurality Systems Proportional Representation Why Electoral Systems Matter Referendums Conclusions Box 11-1: Electoral Systems Box 11-2: The Impact of Electoral Systems Box 11-3: The Referendum 12 Building and Maintaining a Government Government Formation Types of Government in Modern Europe The Allocation of Cabinet Portfolios The Stability of European Governments Conclusion Box 12-1: Cabinet Types Box 12-2: Government Stability 13 From Governments to Public Policy Party Manifestos and Government Policy Programs Redeeming Campaign Pledges Party Government and Public Spending Beyond Public Spending Overall, Does Politics Make a Difference? Box 13-1: Patterns of Spending in Public Finances 14 Politics Outside Parliament Corporatism Pluralism The New Pluralism? Politics Networks Conclusion Box 14-1: Economic Policymaking 15 Building Representative Government in PostCommunist Europe The Rules of the Game: Making New Constitutions Parties, Voters, and Electoral Alignments East vs. West, or east and west? Appendix Keeping Up with Changes in European Politics Index