Programmatic choice under EU economic constraints: A conjoint experiment in Germany
and Portugal
P14-S330-2
Presented by: Lea Heyne
With European integration, national policy options have become increasingly constrained as EU member states have lost control over many traditional macroeconomic policy instruments. Especially within the EMU, economic constraints limit governments capacities to implement economic policy programmes, resulting in a tension between responsive and responsible policies. However, few attempts have been made to empirically examine the implications of programmatic constraints for
national voting behaviour. Using a conjoint experiment, this paper analyses how constraints on economic programmatic choice affect electoral behaviour in two EMU countries, Germany and Portugal. Specifically, we posit that while economic issues are generally more relevant to vote choice than non-economic issues, when the ability of parties to implement alternative economic policies is limited, voters resort to other issues. Furthermore, we argue that voters no longer evaluate economic policies solely on the basis of their content, but also on their compliance with European rules. Finally, we also formulate expectations on how the range of available economic options might influence voter turnout.
national voting behaviour. Using a conjoint experiment, this paper analyses how constraints on economic programmatic choice affect electoral behaviour in two EMU countries, Germany and Portugal. Specifically, we posit that while economic issues are generally more relevant to vote choice than non-economic issues, when the ability of parties to implement alternative economic policies is limited, voters resort to other issues. Furthermore, we argue that voters no longer evaluate economic policies solely on the basis of their content, but also on their compliance with European rules. Finally, we also formulate expectations on how the range of available economic options might influence voter turnout.
Keywords: EMU, economic policies, programmatic constraints, conjoint experiment