Explaining Institutional Change in the European Union: What Determines the Voting Rule in the Council of Ministers?

Numerous studies have explored how the European Union's institutions shape political behavior and legislative outcomes in the EU. Far fewer examine in detail how individual institutional changes have come about. This paper presents a formal model that allows us to analyze under what conditions...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European Union politics 2001-02, Vol.2 (1), p.5-30
Main Authors: Carrubba, Clifford J., Volden, Craig
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Councils
Equilibrium
Europe
European policy
European Union
Institutional change
Institutions
Legislation
Legislative Bodies
Organizational Change
Political behaviour
Political Change
Voting behaviour
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Summary:Numerous studies have explored how the European Union's institutions shape political behavior and legislative outcomes in the EU. Far fewer examine in detail how individual institutional changes have come about. This paper presents a formal model that allows us to analyze under what conditions institutional change should be expected, with a focus on the Council of Ministers' voting rule in particular. Changes in the number of member states in the EU, changes in the legislative procedures and changes in the policy areas under consideration are found to affect the ability to pass legislation, and thereby provide the impetus for adjustments in equilibrium coalition sizes and chamber voting rules.
ISSN:1465-1165
1741-2757
DOI:10.1177/1465116501002001001