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State Size Matters pp 33–58Cite as

Reconsidering coalition theory: A set theoretical assessment of government formation in Liechtenstein and Malta

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Abstract

This article clarifies characteristics of the political decision-making system in Liechtenstein and Malta. Particularly, we focus on two government forms, one of which aims at securing consensus and the other at competition, while building upon a coalition theory perspective. Coalition theory as a research tradition within comparative politics provides an explanation of government formation based on individual political parties’ motivations. However, grasping different government forms from this perspective is difficult, because it features a theoretical framework for consensual governments that poses the research question of why political parties do or do not seek to form government with a simple majority. This is the question of oversized coalitions and its various models that take into account structural as well as institutional factors.

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Authors
  1. Sho Niikawa
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  2. Andreas Corcaci
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Deutschland

    Sebastian Wolf

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Niikawa, S., Corcaci, A. (2016). Reconsidering coalition theory: A set theoretical assessment of government formation in Liechtenstein and Malta. In: Wolf, S. (eds) State Size Matters. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-07725-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-07725-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer VS, Wiesbaden

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-658-07724-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-658-07725-9

  • eBook Packages: Social Science and Law (German Language)

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