The moderating role of parliamentary procedures: the influence of opposition power on democratic consolidation

Abstract

Democratic elections normally not only lead to the formation of a government but also result in an opposition. In this logic, a democratic election is as much about winning as it is about losing and, hence, oppositions are an inherent part of democracies. Despite this crucial role of opposition parties in democratic regimes, research in political science has mostly neglected oppositions and their role in democracies. However, especially the consent of losers of elections to democratic rules is of crucial importance for the functioning and the survival of every democratic system. This thesis brings oppositions into focus as crucial actors of the democratic decision-making process and proposes to look at the legislative organization from the perspective of opposition parties. The thesis focuses on the influence of opposition players in the policy-making process and the effect of these institutions on losing. Results show that the way parliaments are organized does influence the individual level of political support among citizens as well as the overall stability of democratic regimes.