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Public Spending, Public Deficits and Government Coalitions

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  • André Blais
  • Jiyoon Kim
  • Martial Foucault

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between types of government and level of public spending. There are two competing perspectives about the consequences of coalition governments for the size of public expenditures. The most common argument is that government spending increases under coalition governments, compared with one‐party governments. Another line of thought contends that coalition governments are often stalled in the status quo due to the veto power of each member. Our analysis of public spending in 33 parliamentary democracies between 1972 and 2000 confirms the latter argument that coalition governments have a status quo bias. We find, particularly, that single‐party governments are apt to modify the budget according to the current fiscal condition, which enables them to increase or decrease spending more flexibly. By contrast, coalition governments find it difficult not only to decrease spending under difficult fiscal conditions but also to increase it even under a more favorable context, because each member of the coalition has a veto power.

Suggested Citation

  • André Blais & Jiyoon Kim & Martial Foucault, 2010. "Public Spending, Public Deficits and Government Coalitions," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 58(5), pages 829-846, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:polstu:v:58:y:2010:i:5:p:829-846
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9248.2010.00842.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Joaquín Artés & Ignacio Jurado, 2018. "Government fragmentation and fiscal deficits: a regression discontinuity approach," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 175(3), pages 367-391, June.
    3. Joseph Mawejje & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "The determinants of fiscal deficits: a survey of literature," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 67(3), pages 403-417, September.
    4. Palguta, Ján, 2019. "Political representation and public contracting: Evidence from municipal legislatures," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 411-431.
    5. Hanna Bäck & Wolfgang C. Müller & Benjamin Nyblade, 2017. "Multiparty government and economic policy-making," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 33-62, January.
    6. Datta, Sandip, 2020. "Political competition and public healthcare expenditure: Evidence from Indian states," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    7. Alberto Vaquero-García & María Cadaval-Sampedro & Santiago Lago-Peñas, 2022. "Do Political Factors Affect Fiscal Consolidation? Evidence From Spanish Regional Governments," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    8. Ghany Ellantia Wiguna & Khoirunurrofik Khoirunurrofik, 2021. "Political budget cycle patterns and the role of coalition parties in shaping Indonesian local government spending," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 41-64, February.

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