Abstract
This chapter summarizes the main findings of the book. Four gaps between citizens and representatives are identified throughout the book. Firstly, the social extraction of MPs over-represents groups of high socio-economic status, which is in line with previous comparative research. Secondly, MPs tend to appear more leftist than their voters for every party. Thirdly, MPs are also more nationalist than voters. Finally, MPs and citizens have different views about representation. While MPs tend to believe that they represent society as a whole, citizens believe that MPs represent their parties. The chapter also provides information about how MPs perceive political disaffection, the path they follow to get into parliament, the functioning of parliaments and the attitudes of MPs toward multilevel government.
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Notes
- 1.
In the May 2015 CIS (2015) barometer “Politicians in general, parties and politics” receive 18.8% of the mentions and “the Government and specific parties and politicians” 2.4% of the mentions. With 21.2%, politicians and parties rank as the fourth greatest problem in Spain preceded by unemployment (79.4%), corruption and fraud (with 50.8%) and problems of an economic nature (25.1%).
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Coller, X., Jaime-Castillo, A.M., Mota, F. (2018). The Distant Politician?. In: Coller, X., Jaime-Castillo, A., Mota, F. (eds) Political Power in Spain. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63826-3_16
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