Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Keywords

agenda control, legislative agenda, Italian political parties

Abstract

We find strong evidence that governing coalitions in Italy exercise significant negative agenda powers. First, governing parties have a roll rate that is nearly zero, and their roll rate is lower than opposition parties’ roll rates, which average about 20% on all final passage votes. Second, we find that, controlling for distance from the floor median, opposition parties have higher roll rates than government parties. These results strongly suggest that governing parties in Italy are able to control the legislative agenda to their benefit. We also document significantly higher opposition roll rates on decree-conversion bills and budget bills that on ordinary bills – consistent with our theoretical analysis of the differing procedures used in each case.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Political parties, Legislation, Italy

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