@article{c563cef762044bc9a6b127dd2e1b333e,
title = "Blessing or Curse for Congruence? How Interest Mobilization Affects Congruence between Citizens and Elected Representatives",
abstract = "This article examines the role of interest mobilization in strengthening or weakening congruence between elected representatives and citizens on EU policy issues. It argues that the relationship between public opinion, interest groups and elected politicians can be theorized as a selective transmission process. We expect interest groups to strengthen congruence between citizens and elected representatives who share their ideological views. To test our hypotheses we conducted a content analysis of statements made in eight European news outlets on a sample of 13 policy issues and combined this with Eurobarometer polls. Our results indicate that elected representatives from leftist parties are more congruent with left-wing constituents when civil society mobilizes, while the prevalence of corporate lobby groups strengthens congruence between rightist politicians and their constituents. Our findings contribute to an understanding of the role of interest groups in political representation and democratic governance.",
keywords = "congruence, eu politics, european public policy, interest groups, representation, European public policy, EU politics",
author = "{De Bruycker}, I. and A. Rasmussen",
note = "Funding Information: Support for this research was provided by Research Foundation Flanders (FWO grant no. 12N1417N to Iskander De Bruycker) and the Dutch National Science Foundation (VIDI grant no.452-12-008 to Rasmussen). The authors are grateful to Stefaan Walgrave, Andrea Prittonio, Francesco Nicoli, Hanspeter Kriesi, Swen Hutter, Olga Eisele and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions to previous drafts of this article. Earlier versions of this manuscript were presented at the European Consortium for Political Research joint sessions of workshops, Nicosia, 2018; the Political Behavior Colloquium, Florence 2018; the Comparative Interest Group research workshop, Florence, 2018; the Standing Group on the European Union affiliated to the European Consortium for Political Research conference, Paris, 2018 and the European Union Studies Association (EUSA) International Biennial Conference, Denver, 2019. We thank the panel and workshop participants for their constructive comments. The data collection for this article were supported through a grant (Lobbying for the people - 12N1417N) to Iskander De Bruycker from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). Anne Rasmussen's time was financed through a VIDI grant, which was awarded from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (452-12-008). Funding Information: Support for this research was provided by Research Foundation Flanders (FWO grant no. 12N1417N to Iskander De Bruycker) and the Dutch National Science Foundation (VIDI grant no.452‐12‐008 to Rasmussen). The authors are grateful to Stefaan Walgrave, Andrea Prittonio, Francesco Nicoli, Hanspeter Kriesi, Swen Hutter, Olga Eisele and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions to previous drafts of this article. Earlier versions of this manuscript were presented at the European Consortium for Political Research joint sessions of workshops, Nicosia, 2018; the Political Behavior Colloquium, Florence 2018; the Comparative Interest Group research workshop, Florence, 2018; the Standing Group on the European Union affiliated to the European Consortium for Political Research conference, Paris, 2018 and the European Union Studies Association (EUSA) International Biennial Conference, Denver, 2019. We thank the panel and workshop participants for their constructive comments. The data collection for this article were supported by a postdoctoral through an FWO grant (Lobbying for the people ‐ 12N1417N) to Iskander De Bruycker from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). Anne Rasmussen's time was financed through a VIDI Grant, which was awarded from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (452‐12‐008). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies published by University Association for Contemporary European Studies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",
year = "2021",
month = jul,
doi = "10.1111/jcms.13146",
language = "English",
volume = "59",
pages = "909--928",
journal = "Journal of Common Market Studies",
issn = "0021-9886",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "4",
}