The many faces of (party) appointments: Party government and patronage in Portugal, 1995–2009. Issue 4 (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silva, Patrícia; Jalali, Carlos
• Is Part Of: Acta politica. Volume 51:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 539
• Page End: 559
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: patronage -- party government -- civil service -- Portugal; Political science -- Periodicals; Netherlands -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 320
• DOI: 10.1057/ap.2016.5
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-6810

Abstract

Abstract In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the political recruitment to non-elective public offices of the state. Such appointments can help entrench party organizations, cementing their position within the state and can also emerge as an instrument to provide parties with leverage over (and crucial information within) the increasingly fragmented and delegated processes of policymaking. Portugal has been conceived as a country with appointments deep into the administrative hierarchy, mainly motivated by partisan considerations. These accounts overlook the different rationales for patronage. This article aims to re-examine accounts on the (many) faces of patronage, by empirically exploring the logics of recruitment on three inter-related dimensions. First, to what extent different hierarchical levels are associated to different patronage functions. Second, by analysing the extent to which different moments of the governing period are associated to different faces of patronage. Third, by assessing the impact of party competition on patterns and logics of recruitment to the civil service.