Individual Determinants for the Selection of Group Coordinators in the European Parliament

Political group coordinators are key actors in the European Parliament (EP). They organize legislative business in the standing committees, as well as lead discussions within their own party group – the result of which is often a common party line. Although coordinators have been recognized as agents of their group leadership and the nexus mediating between committees, transnational groups and national party delegations, surprisingly little is known about what drives the selection of MEPs into these influential positions. Drawing on theories of legislative organization and committee assignments, we assess the question: Who becomes group coordinator and why? For a multivariate regression analysis, we employ novel data on the backgrounds of all MEPs during the sixth (2004-2009), seventh (2009-2014) and first half of the eighth legislative term (2014-2016). We consider voting behavior, professional background, parliamentary experience and interest group ties as potential predictors of selection. Our findings bear relevance not only to the legislative organization of the EP as a legislature with strong committees, but also shed light on how the office of group coordinator fits into the broader career trajectories of MEPs as agents of their party groups. Ultimately, a better understanding of the selection criteria of group coordinators provides insight into the extent to which the principle of proportional representation applies in the EP leadership structure.