The politics of referendum use in European democracies /

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Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:Hollander, Saskia, author.
Imprint:Cham, Switzerland : Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.
Description:xvii, 345 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Language:English
Subject:
Format: Print Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/11881575
Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:3030041964
9783030041960
Notes:Includes bibliographical references and index.
Other form:Electronic version: Hollander, Saskia. Politics of referendum use in European democracies. Cham, Switzerland : Palgrave Macmillan, 2019 9783030041977
Description
Summary:This book demonstrates that the generally assumed dichotomy between referendums and representative democracy does not do justice to the great diversity of referendum types and of how referendums are used in European democracies. Although in all referendums citizens vote directly on issues rather than letting their political representatives do this for them, some referendums are more direct than others. Rather than reflecting the direct power of the People, most referendums in EU countries are held by, and serve the interests of, the political elites, most notably the executive. The book shows that these interests rarely match the justifications given in the public debate. Instead of being driven by the need to compensate for the deficiency of political parties, decision-makers use referendums primarily to protect the position of their party. In unravelling the strategic role played by national referendums in decision-making, this book makes an unconventional contribution to the debateon the impact of referendums on democracy.
Physical Description:xvii, 345 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:3030041964
9783030041960