Champions of the poor? Civil society mobilization and the congruence gap between rich and poor segments of the public

This paper asks under which conditions elected representatives are more congruent with the policy preferences of affluent citizens. Ample research has shown that the rich are better represented in policymaking than the poor. Yet, we know little of the sources underlying these inequalities in policy representation. This paper points at the role of civil society organizations in empowering the poor. It argues that civil society can act as a mouthpiece for poor societal segments and diminish congruence imbalances between wealthy and poor public segments. To test our hypotheses, we conducted a content analysis of statements made in eight European news outlets on a sample of 13 policy issues and combined this with Eurobarometer polls. Our results indicate that elected representatives are relatively more congruent with poor voters when civil society mobilizes and when representatives hail from leftist parties. Conversely, civil society mobilization weakens congruence between elected officials and the rich, and rightist politicians are relatively more congruent with wealthy societal segments. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of civil society in political representation and democratic governance in the EU.