TY - JOUR
T1 - The European Parliament
T2 - one parliament, several modes of political representation on the ground?
AU - Farrell, David M.
AU - Scully, Roger
N1 - Funding Information:
Co-equal authorship. We are grateful to fellow participants at the Connex meetings at the European University Institute and particularly to the editors and referees for feedback and comments. This research has been financially supported by the Economic and Social Research Council of the United Kingdom (grants R000239231 and RES-000-22-1554) and the European Union’s Framework 6 programme (CIVICACTIVE project).
Publisher copyright:
© 2010 Taylor & Francis
PY - 2010/1
Y1 - 2010/1
N2 - In this article we explore the potential for electoral systems to influence the attitudes and behaviour of elected representatives. Focusing on what we term ‘geographical representation’, or representation on the ground, we consider how variation in electoral systems may be expected to relate to different forms of, and priorities in, political representation. We then explain how – European Union (EU) legislation on ‘uniform electoral procedures’ notwithstanding – the European Parliament (EP) offers a uniquely powerful research site for investigating these questions. Finally, we explore recent survey evidence on Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) which suggests that, in several respects, electoral system variation does shape how they understand, and seek to carry out, their role as elected representatives.
AB - In this article we explore the potential for electoral systems to influence the attitudes and behaviour of elected representatives. Focusing on what we term ‘geographical representation’, or representation on the ground, we consider how variation in electoral systems may be expected to relate to different forms of, and priorities in, political representation. We then explain how – European Union (EU) legislation on ‘uniform electoral procedures’ notwithstanding – the European Parliament (EP) offers a uniquely powerful research site for investigating these questions. Finally, we explore recent survey evidence on Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) which suggests that, in several respects, electoral system variation does shape how they understand, and seek to carry out, their role as elected representatives.
KW - Electoral systems
KW - European Parliament
KW - Parliamentary representation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=73949087521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13501760903465173
DO - 10.1080/13501760903465173
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:73949087521
SN - 1350-1763
VL - 17
SP - 36
EP - 54
JO - Journal of European Public Policy
JF - Journal of European Public Policy
IS - 1
ER -