Pre-electoral coalitions in comparative perspective: A test of existing hypotheses

摘要: Abstract Despite the vast coalition literature, pre-electoral coalitions have never been at center of any systematic, cross-national research. Given their prevalence and potential impact on government composition policies, this represents a serious omission in our knowledge coalitions. I begin to remedy situation by testing two hypotheses found literature party The first is that are more likely form disproportional systems if there sufficiently large number parties. second voters face high uncertainty about identity future governments. These tested using new dataset comprising legislative elections 22 advanced industrialized countries between 1946 1998. results statistical analysis support hypothesis, but not second.