Representing Society? Development of Austrian Party-Voter Issue Salience in Social Policy

Authors

  • Carmen Walenta-Bergmann Johannes Kepler Universität
  • Felix Wohlgemuth Johannes Kepler Universität

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15203/ozp.4016.vol52iss1

Keywords:

Political Representation, Issue Salience, Parties, Electorate, Social Policy, Austria

Abstract

In representative democracies citizens hand over responsibility to parties, which represent their interests in policy-making. Current socioeconomic and political developments might foster declining quality of representation. We analyse the state of substantive representation of social policy issues in Austria and ask: How do voters and parties assess the importance of different social policy issues? How does the fit of voters’ and parties’ issue salience develop over time? Comparing the supply and demand side of social policy issue saliences between 2009 and 2019, we unexpectedly find convergence. Austrian parties and voters show more similar relative importance of social policy areas over time. Variations in issue saliences are partly explained by the material and sociocultural values of disaggregated social policy areas.

Author Biographies

  • Carmen Walenta-Bergmann, Johannes Kepler Universität

    Carmen Walenta-Bergmann ist wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin und Doktorandin am Institut für Gesellschafts- und Sozialpolitik der Johannes-Kepler-Universität Linz. Ihre primären Forschungsinteressen sind Regionalpolitik und Föderalismus, Sozialpolitik, sowie politische Repräsentation. Erreichbar unter carmen.walenta-bergmann@jku.at

  • Felix Wohlgemuth, Johannes Kepler Universität

    Felix Wohlgemuth ist wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter und Doktorand am Institut für Gesellschafts- und Sozialpolitik der Johannes-Kepler-Universität Linz. Seine primären Forschungsinteressen sind Politikfeldanalyse, Familienpolitik, sowie vergleichende Wohlfahrtsstaatsforschung. Erreichbar unter felix.wohlgemuth@jku.at

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Published

2023-03-31

Issue

Section

Research Article

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