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Politically driven cycles in fiscal policy: In depth analysis of the functional components of government expenditures

Author

Listed:
  • Vítor Castro

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, and Economic Policies Research Unit (NIPE))

  • Rodrigo Martins

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra and Group for Monetary and Fiscal Studies (GEMF))

Abstract

This article analyses the incidence of politically driven cycles on the functional components and sub-components of government expenditures over a group of 18 European countries during the period 1990-2012. An LSDVC estimator is employed in the empirical analysis. The results point out to the presence of political opportunism at aggregated and disaggregated levels of public expenditures, but no significant evidence of partisan or other political effects is found. The expenditure components that have proved to be more related to that behaviour are public services, health, education and social protection. These include items able to generate more visible outcomes to voters and, consequently, of increasing government’s chance of re-election.

Suggested Citation

  • Vítor Castro & Rodrigo Martins, 2016. "Politically driven cycles in fiscal policy: In depth analysis of the functional components of government expenditures," NIPE Working Papers 2/2016, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    • Handle: RePEc:nip:nipewp:2/2016
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    JEL classification:

    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation

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