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Universiteit LeidenThe Netherlands

Leiden University. The university to discover.

The Impact of Reforms on EmpiricalLegitimacy – More Elites or More

Participation?IPSA Panel

“Investigation into the Relation between Political Trustand Political Engagement”

Kavita Heijstek–Ziemann ([email protected]),Institute of Political Science, Leiden University.

[email protected]


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?Introduction

1 | 11Table of Contents

What?

Why?

Hypotheses

How?

Results

Conclusion


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?What?

2 | 11Model

Democratic

Reforms

Satisfaction

with Democracy

Trust in

Parliament &

Government

empirical legitimacy


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?Why?

3 | 11Linkage

Linkage mechanisms betweencitizens and the state have changed

• Turnout

• Membership

• Identification



4 | 11Participation

• New forms of participation are gaining ground

• Linkage is effective if possibilities of communication &mechanisms of influence are available



5 | 11Experts

• New forms of non-majoritarian delegation gaining ground

• Linkage is effective if governing is seen as a managementproblem and common interest is served.


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?Hypotheses

6 | 11Hypotheses

Hypothesis 1: Direct participation and/or expert delegationincreases satisfaction with democracy

Hypothesis 2: Direct participation and/or expert delegationwill decrease trust in representative institutions

Hypothesis 3: Strengthening the functioning of corerepresentative institutions will increase trust inrepresentative institutions


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?How?

7 | 11Data and Method

• Dataset of reforms 1990 – 2008

• Time-series cross-sectional analysis


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?How?

8 | 11VariablesParticipatory• Electoral Reform• Decentralization• Directly Elected

Executive• Freedom of

Information• New Public

ManagementReforms

• New ReferendumLaws

Non-Majoritarian• Regulatory

Institutions• Extension of

Powers to EU• New Courts

Representation• Parliamentary

Reform• Party Subsidy


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?Results

9 | 11Results

Negative Result• Electoral Reform• New Public Managment• Referendum• Direct Election

Executive• Regulatory Institutions• EU• Party Subsidy

Positive Result• Decentralization• New Courts


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?Conclusion

10 | 11More Expert or More Participation?

• More Decentralization - Size Matters

• More Courts - Advocacy Democracy

• Often failing attempts to strengthen the relationshipbetween citizens and the state


The Impact of Reforms on Empirical Legitimacy – More Elites or MoreParticipation?Conclusion

11 | 11Questions?

?

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