Volume 47 (2016), Edition 1

The article provides an in-depth case study of the genesis of the first parliamentary standing orders of the German Bundestag in 1951 . Descriptively, there is a strong continuity when comparing the standing orders of the Reichstag’s internal...

Roll call votes provide crucial data for the study of parliamentary behaviour . A novel data- set on all recorded votes in the Bundestag between 1949 and 2013 combines information on MPs’ individual voting behaviour with contextual information on...

Publicity of parliamentary sessions is a basic principle of parliamentary democracy and enables the People to “control” parliament . However, a dictate of general transparency of par- liamentary work does not follow from this . The principle of...

Committees of Inquiry are powerful instruments of legislative oversight and hold the potential to generate extensive public attention . One can argue that an issue needs to be sali- ent before legislators consider establishing a Committee of Inquiry...

Modern societies are characterized by an increasing acceleration in all areas of life . The political system is under pressure to adapt to this, especially since decision-making in demo- cratic systems is perceived as taking too long . The question...

Five years have passed since the introduction of the subsidiarity test in the Lisbon Treaty . Hence, an evaluation of this instrument to enhance the position of national parliaments in European political decision-making is due . Looking back,...

The Finnish election from 19th April 2015 caused a change in government and a distinct centre-right coalition in the Nordic country of great coalitions . For the first time, the right wing populist Finns-Party is a part of government . In reaction...

Whereas second chambers in most Westminster-Systems tend to be subject of reform or abolition efforts, the Australian Senate managed to defend its outstanding strong position within Australia’s system of government . Australian exceptionalism of...

The elections of the Canadian House of Commons 2015 surprised by an electoral victory of the once dominant Liberal Party of Canada which had been marginalized in the 2011 general election . The earthquake victory of the Liberals who were able to...

Once established, in most democracies electoral systems remain fundamentally unaltered . Therefore, countries that executed such change are of particular interest . Italy, Japan and New Zealand rejected their existing electoral laws and established...

Mosler, Hannes B.: Banning the United Progressive Party in the Republic of Korea. The South Korean constitutional court decided in 2014 to ban the minor leftist United Progressive Party (UPP) and to deprive its five lawmakers of their seats in the...

The “heute show” (broadcast on ZDF, a public-service television broadcaster) is a satirical news show that has gained great attention within the political public sphere of Germany over the last couple of years . The show reaches a broad public...