This paper entails an empirical research that aims to analyze if and how partisanship affects the relationship between ministers and junior ministers. Using principal-agent framework and based on quantitative and qualitative data, we assess the main reasons for agency losses concerning these two actors delegation. Specifically, we focus on partisanship as a potential origin for divergence. In fact, coexists in the Portuguese cabinet a large number of non-partisans among ministers and junior ministers. Are agency problems fueled by this coexistence? We answer this question combining recruitment data and content analysis of over 100 semi-structured interviews.
