Non-Legislative Actions and Party ‘Brand’: Evidence from the Mexican Congress

Abstract

Abstract This article studies the determinants that influence the efforts of legislators through non-legislative actions in the Mexican Congress. Most studies are confined to analyse the effects of electoral systems and focused on bill initiatives. However, in contexts like in Mexico, where consecutive re-election is prohibited, the performance of legislators needs to be understood beyond purely institutional factors. This article uses a unique database of 8834 non-binding resolutions (points of agreement), an instrument that does not carry the force of law but is widely initiated in Mexico and the prior careers of 1511 members of Congress to test a general model. The results highlight the relevance of the government–opposition relationship, prior posts of legislators, gender and, to a lesser degree, a negative association with those electorally vulnerable parliamentarians, in explaining the use of this instrument, which is controlled by the party leadership.