Changes in the Rules of the Lawmaking Process and the Success of Presidential Bills: Chile, 1990–2018. Issue 1 (16th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mimica, Nicolás; Navia, Patricio D.; Osorio, Rodrigo
• Is Part Of: Legislative studies quarterly. Volume 48:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 37
• Page End: 69
• Publication Date: 2022-02-16
• Subjects: Chile -- executive‐legislative relations -- institutional design -- legislative success -- presidential systems; Legislative bodies -- Periodicals; Parlement; Procédure législative; Système parlementaire; Étude comparée (Descripteur de forme); Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 328
• DOI: 10.1111/lsq.12375
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0362-9805

Abstract

Abstract : This article assesses the effect of changes in the lawmaking process on the success of the president's legislative agenda, distinguishing between within‐term success (bills that passed during the term) and overall success (including bills that passed after the president left office). With the 2064 presidential bills introduced in seven terms (1990–2018) in Chile's presidential system, we assess the impact of changes in lawmaking rules on within‐term (59.9%) and overall success (70.6%). Changes that decrease attributions of the president and create more opportunities for executive‐legislative bargaining—including concurrent elections—increase the chances of success of presidential bills. The use of presidential urgency motions, an agenda‐setting tool, makes bills more likely to pass, but the issuance of many urgency motions undermines the bill's chances to succeed. Presidential bills introduced early in the term and those on issues where there is more policy convergence are more likely to pass.