Differential Policy Responsiveness in Europe and its Determinants

To whom does policy respond? If the policy preferences of the rich and the poor differ, policy should not be biased towards the preferences of any of these groups. Our study of policy responsiveness in thirty-six European countries examines the extent to which contextual factors (electoral system, institutional complexity, trade union density and voter turnout) determine policy responsiveness to different sub-constituencies (low-, middle- and high- income groups). Using an innovative dataset covering public opinion and policy across a range of issues, countries, and time periods, we demonstrate variation in public attitudes on fifteen (socioeconomic and cultural-green) policy issues. We show that policy in Europe is tilted toward the preferences of the wealthy and that this is particularly the case when voter turnout is low, institutional constraints are high, and trade unions are weak.