Position or Preference? Explaining Parliamentary Party Group Leaders' Role Orientations in Belgium. Issue 1 (19th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de Vet, Benjamin
• Is Part Of: Parliamentary affairs. Volume 74:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 26
• Publication Date: 2019-07-19
• Subjects: Belgium -- Elite interviews -- Leaders -- Parliamentary party groups -- Parliamentary roles -- QCA; Representative government and representation -- Periodicals; Legislative bodies -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Legislative bodies; Political science; Representative government and representation; Great Britain; Periodicals; Periodicals; 328.4105
• DOI: 10.1093/pa/gsz023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-2290

Abstract

Abstract: Parliamentary party group leaders (PPG leaders) are understudied but important actors in contemporary parliaments. This article examines the role orientations of PPG leaders in Belgium, using data from 66 semi-structured elite interviews. Contradictory to theoretical views on frontbench roles as institutionally determined 'position roles' and despite Belgian PPG leaders' comparatively limited intra-party authority, the findings indicate role variation on two dimensions, resulting in five distinct PPG leader role types. These are explained using multi-value Qualitative Comparative Analysis (mvQCA). We find that, while some roles are indeed heavily shaped by contextual factors such as parties' government status, size or electoral performance, others are more clearly driven by individual-level factors such as prior experience or progressive ambitions. As such, this article provides substantial insights into an underexposed aspect of legislative organisation, introduces QCA as a novel method to explain parliamentary roles and makes a theoretical case that also among frontbenchers preference-driven roles are possible.