Vortrag
Voting for Direct Democracy: Evidence from a Unique Popular Initiative in Bavaria

Felix Arnold, Ronny Freier, Magdalena Pallauf, David Stadelmann


Taxation in a Global Economy : 71st Annual Conference of the International Institute of Public Finance (IIPF 2015)
Dublin, Irland, 20.08.2015 - 23.08.2015



Abstract:
We analyze a constitutional change in the German State of Bavaria where citizens, not politicians, granted themselves more say in politics at the local level through a constitutional initiative at the state level. This institutional setting allows us to focus on revealed preferences for direct democracy and to identify factors which explain this preference. Empirical results suggests support for direct democracy is rather related to dissatisfaction with representative democracy in general than with an elected governing party.

Abstract

We analyze a constitutional change in the German State of Bavaria where citizens, not politicians, granted themselves more say in politics at the local level through a constitutional initiative at the state level. This institutional setting allows us to focus on revealed preferences for direct democracy and to identify factors which explain this preference. Empirical results suggests support for direct democracy is rather related to dissatisfaction with representative democracy in general than with an elected governing party.

Ronny Freier

Wissenschaftler Abteilung Staat

Themen: Regionalwirtschaft



JEL-Classification: D72;H70
Keywords: Direct democracy, Voting, Initiative, Parties
DIW-Link
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