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This decision-making mechanism is based on the preference homogeneity pathway, which holds that party group unity results from the fact that an individual is likely to join the poli

The responsible party model holds that the polit- ical party ought to be the main actor in the representa onal rela onship, “[i]ndividual poli cians play a second fiddle, at

If the MP does not subscribe to the norm of party group loyalty, or the MP does sub- scribe to the norm but his disagreement with the party group’s posi on is so intense that

The more inclusive and decentralized the selectorate, however, the more compe ng principals there are within the poli cal party to whom an MP may owe his allegiance, and thus the

In line with our hypothesis, the percentage of representa ves who infrequently dis- agree with their party’s posi on on a vote in parliament is quite a bit higher in our re-

We may s ll see an increase in party group preference heterogeneity and MPs’ disagreement with the party group’s posi on, and a decrease in party group loyalty among MPs, but the

Given that the percentage of representa ves who completely agree that they feel involved in the decision making in their party group is much higher at the lower levels of govern-

Koole (Eds.), Parliamentary Party Groups in European Democracies: Poli cal Par es Behind Closed Doors, pp.. The Netherlands: The Sanc ty of