This week we will move away from the mass public towards the institutions that facilitate the transfer between "the will of the people" and the decision-making institutions (parliaments, elected presidents,...). 

Required:

Read chapter 6 from De Vries, C., B. Hobolt, S., Proksch, S., & Slapin, J. (2021). Foundations of European Politics: A Comparative Approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Geißel, B., Krämling, A. & Paulus, L. More or less equality? Direct democracy in Europe from 1990 to 2015. Z Vgl Polit Wiss 13, 491–525 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12286-019-00435-3

Homework: Pick two EU-member countries. Find out what kind of electoral system the country uses to elect deputies to the lower chamber of its parliament. Finding the name of the electoral system is not enough here. Look up more details (for example: how many electoral districts?, what are the rules that determine who gets the seat? etc.). Bring your findings to class.