Portfolio Allocation

Abstract

Abstract One of the first things parties entering a government coalition do is to decide how they will share the ministerial offices among themselves. Without reaching agreement on this issue, no coalition can take office. Although cabinet portfolios are only the tip of the iceberg of allocation decisions that coalition parties have to make, they are probably the most important ones. And it is easy to understand why portfolio allocation is important. Cabinet ministers are among the most important policymakers in parliamentary democracies, and ministerial offices are one of the most important pay-offs available to political parties. Political parties care about the ministries at their disposal and so do individual politicians. Although the number of such posts may vary between countries and over time, ministerial offices are position goods and rank among the most exclusive ones. The more cabinet seats a party has at its disposal, the more policy influence it can have, and the more party leaders can see their career ambitions fulfilled. It is hard to imagine a politician who does not value cabinet office. Ministerial office is typically the apex of a political career, and it is an appointment that often affords the holder considerable policy influence. Moreover, ministerial portfolios are the key to many lower-level appointments in the public sector.