Abstract

KERNECKER, Theresa. Between Voter and Party Preferences: Party Loyalty in 16 Latin American Congresses. Polít. gob [online]. 2019, vol.26, n.1, pp.3-40.  Epub June 26, 2020. ISSN 1665-2037.

This article analyzes how the tension between the district median voter and party policy preferences affects a Members of Congress (MC) disposition to toe the party line versus siding with the district in Latin America. It analyzes MCS in the lower chamber of 16 Latin American countries based on face-to-face MC and voter surveys, i.e.the district median voters' and parties' left-right placement and MCS' responses. The findings suggest that MCS only claim to deviate from the party line by siding with the district as the parties' position moves closer to the districts' median. Robustness checks support this tendency: As the party position moves closer to the district median position, MCS are more likely to display lax attitudes towards party discipline and attach more importance to getting resources for their districts. Overall, the findings contribute to an understanding of the effect of the tension between district and party preferences on party loyalty in Latin America and the sequential steps leading to party unity in legislative votes.

Keywords : legislative behavior; congruence; cross-pressures; Latin America.