Patterns of oversized coalitions in European democracies: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13598
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 06010:Politics-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Niikawa Sho 神戸大学, 国際文化学研究科, 講師 (60802486)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 連立研究 / 質的比較分析（QCA）

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research investigates patterns of oversized coalitions in European democracies. Oversized coalitions that include surplus junior partners in government formation to secure a parliamentary majority are criticized as a ‘cartel’ of the established political parties. While rejecting participation into government from a side of anti-established parties based on populist rhetoric exacerbates a problem of the act of governing in parliamentary democracies. This research aims to explore patterns of oversized coalitions in Europe by using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). As a result, this research specified multiple patterns of negotiation processes between parties before entering the forming process of coalition government. This result implies that there is a room to further investigation of theorizing a multi-step model of forming oversized coalitions from coalition bargaining to formation.

Free Research Field

比較政治学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は西欧と中東欧諸国の比較を通じて大連立政権の成立について問うたものである。大連立は主要政党の野合として問題視されてきた一方、政府の直面する問題に一致して乗り越えるための手段ともみなされてきた。いつ、どのように大連立政権は欧州で成立してきたのか。この研究での実証分析で得られた知見である、連立交渉と政権成立のプロセスという複数段階でのモデル化の可能性は一つの学術的意義と考える。このモデルの更なる実証的な検討は、ポピュリズムに揺れる欧州諸国が抱える議会制民主主義の問題理解に貢献するという社会的意義を有するものと考えている。