Work

Rewarding Some, But Not All? The Selectoral Consequences of Parliamentary Activity for Newcomers and Experienced MPs in Belgium (1995–2019)

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: This article examines whether political parties reward the parliamentary activity of members of parliament (MPs) through candidate selection processes. Previous research on this question provides mixed evidence. Moreover, studies often disregard potentially unequal effects among different kinds of MPs. Using new data on all members of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives between 1995 and 2019 (N = 1108), this contribution shows that several types of parliamentary activity indeed matter both for MPs’ general renomination as well as for their claim to realistic list positions. Furthermore, our study provides evidence that parliamentary activity matters more for the reselection of newcomers than for experienced MPs.

Source: Parliamentary Affairs

DOI: 10.1093/pa/gsac018

Authors: Gert-Jan Put, Benjamin De Vet, Richard Schobess, Bram Wauters, Bart Maddens

Institutions: University of Namur, TRANSITIONS, Ghent University, KU Leuven

Language: English

Topic: Electoral Systems and Political Participation

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek