Modes of government responsiveness in the European Union: Evidence from Council negotiation positions. (March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wratil, Christopher
• Is Part Of: European Union politics. Volume 19:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 74
• Publication Date: 2018-03
• Subjects: Council of the European Union -- democratic deficit -- electoral systems -- government responsiveness -- salience; European Union countries -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 320.9405
• DOI: 10.1177/1465116517735599
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1465-1165

Abstract

Are national governments responsive to citizens' opinions when negotiating policies in the Council of the European Union? Conceiving of the Council's policy-making space as encompassing left-right and pro-anti integration issues, I argue that governments apply different 'modes of responsiveness' on these issues. As left-right issues are more reliably and intensely salient in domestic elections than pro-anti integration issues, governments' responsiveness to left-right public opinion should be more systematic than to pro-anti integration opinion. Statistical analyses of 3700 policy positions of governments in the Council demonstrate that governments highly structure their responsiveness on left-right issues according to electoral cycles and systems ('systematic mode'). However, they only sporadically respond to public opinion on pro-anti integration issues, when parties and events trigger the public salience of integration ('sporadic mode').