Multilevel Exchange of Office or Pactos de estado

Abstract

The exchange of office for policy between the statewide governing party and regional party allies discussed in the previous chapter allows the parties to attain or advance their priority goals in the national arena. The multilevel state structure in Spain opens up the possibility of exchanging support to form and maintain governments across state levels, and/or a freer rein during the governments’ respective terms. Because the relevant regional parties in Spain prioritize office in the regional arena and the statewide formateur parties prioritize office in the national arena, such an exchange allows the parties to attain their priority goal in their priority arena. Office concessions are not formalized in an official appointment but rather are achieved through the national governing party’s regional-level branch providing political support or attenuating its opposition to a regional government. In this way, Spain’s multilevel state institutions can bolster the government’s bargaining power and create incentives for some opposition parties to cooperate with it. Also, in comparative perspective, this means that Spain’s minority governments have two potentially important bargaining chips: policy and office.