At the grassroots of representation: District work of MPs in Germany

German MPs spend a substantial amount of time in their home districts. Based on observation and interview data, this article aims to understand both the motivation and the effects of district work in Germany. The institutional setting of the German political system provides various incentives for MP...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:French politics 2016-12, Vol.14 (4), p.469-485
Main Author: Siefken, Sven T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Comparative Politics
Districts
European Politics
Grass roots movement
Incentives
Interpersonal communication
Legislators
Legislatures
Motivation
Original Article
Political communication
Political parties
Political Science
Political Science and International Relations
Political Science and International Studies
Political systems
Representation
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Summary:German MPs spend a substantial amount of time in their home districts. Based on observation and interview data, this article aims to understand both the motivation and the effects of district work in Germany. The institutional setting of the German political system provides various incentives for MPs to conduct district work. What results from them is investigated by analyzing the activities in the district, MPs different communication styles, their casework, their party events and the influence of mandate types on MP behavior. Discussing how the activities in the district and those in parliament are related shows how crucial this link is for understanding modern representative democracies. Thus, in studying parliaments, a broad focus is in order.
ISSN:1476-3419
1476-3427
DOI:10.1057/s41253-016-0013-6