IPSA Conference Madrid

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 (kziemann@fsw.leidenuniv.nl),Institute of Political Science, Leiden University.

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

1 | 11Table of Contents

What?

Why?

Hypotheses

How?

Results

Conclusion

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

4 | 11Participation

• New forms of participation are gaining ground

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

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.

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

Leiden University. The university to discover.

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

11 | 11Questions?

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