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Proportional influence? Electoral rules and special interest spending

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  • Köthenbürger, Marko
  • Egger, Peter
  • Smart, Michael

Abstract

Conventional wisdom has it that proportional representation leads to more coalition governments and so to greater government spending, especially in redistributive categories favoured by special-interest groups. In contrast, we show in a theoretical model that first-past-the-post systems of government may give special interests greater influence in the winning electoral coalition than they would have in the corresponding legislative coalition under proportional representation. Evidence from a quasi-experimental reform in German local government supports this view. Introduction of a mayor directly elected under first-past-the-post rules caused a significant increase in local government expenditure, particularly in redistributive spending categories.

Suggested Citation

  • Köthenbürger, Marko & Egger, Peter & Smart, Michael, 2014. "Proportional influence? Electoral rules and special interest spending," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100466, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc14:100466
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefanie Gaebler & Felix Roesel, 2019. "Do direct elections matter? Quasi-experimental evidence from Germany," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(6), pages 1416-1445, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government

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