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The responsiveness of democratic institutions is a topic of fundamental importance to researchers, citizens, and decision-makers. The PolicyVotes project aimed to assemble a dataset that facilitates investigation of the responsiveness of political parties and governments to public preferences. The data collection efforts were motivated by the interest to allow researchers to examine, among many others, the following questions: Are governments responsive to citizen demands? Do we see policy changing in response to changing public preferences over time? Is a government's responsiveness to public demands more pronounced in some policy areas than in others and at some points in time than others? What is the mediating role of political institutions such as electoral systems, government types (coalition versus single-party) and executive-legislative structures? How does the degree of responsiveness of national governments compare to responsiveness of European institutions? What are the interdependencies of legislative decision-making between the national and the European level? Do national policies influence the development of European level public policies and vice versa?

The data collection we have assembled facilitates addressing these questions and others. It allows researchers to use large-N statistical methodologies to empirically test theoretical models of dynamic representation in a multilevel system of governance. It allows longitudinal comparative empirical analysis of the triangular relationship between preferences of the electorate, policy positions of parties and governments, and legislative outputs of national governments and the EU. With this data collection we are introducing efficiencies that enable researchers to examine how and under what circumstances responsiveness can be achieved in different institutional settings.

For individual-level data, we have harmonized Eurobarometers from 1970 to the 2011, the ISSP Role of Government surveys, and the EES voter Study. For measurements of party positions, we have harmonized and cross-linked the Chapel Hill Expert Survey, the Party Policy in Modern Democracies Dataset, the Comparative Manifesto Project data, and the EES Euromanifesto Study.
For the measurements of policy output we have collected and cross-linked data for legislative output and budget outlays of 15 EU governments and the European Union.

Please refer to the How-to-Guide and the user guides in the individual trendfile folders (see Downloads/Datasets) for detailed information and citation instructions. Following trendfiles and user guides are available:

- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Russo, Luana & Palacios, Irene (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes Eurobarometer Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Russo, Luana & Palacios, Irene (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes Eurobarometer Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Sapir, Eliyahu & Williams, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes EES Voter Study Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Sapir, Eliyahu & Williams, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes EES Voter Study Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Sapir, Eliyahu & Williams, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes ISSP Role of Government Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Sapir, Eliyahu & Williams, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes ISSP Role of Government Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Sapir, Eliyahu & Williams, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes Party Positions Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, Sapir, Eliyahu & Williams, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes Party Positions Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, & Wlezien, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes National Budgets Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, & Wlezien, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes National Budgets Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, & Wlezien, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes European Union Budget Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, & Wlezien, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes European Union Budget Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, & Wlezien, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes European Union Legislation Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, & Wlezien, Christopher (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes European Union Legislation Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, & Rahmani, Hossein (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes National Legislation Trendfile. Data File Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618
- Arnold, Christine, Franklin, Mark, Wlezien, Christopher, & Rahmani, Hossein (2023): PolicyVotes Database on Political Responsiveness. PolicyVotes National Legislation Trendfile User Guide. Version 1.0.0, https://doi.org/10.7802/2618

Abstract Deutsch

Der ResPOG-Datensatz wurde mit dem Ziel erstellt, die Responsivität des Deutschen Bundestages gegenüber der deutschen Bevölkerung (sowie sozialen Teilgruppen) zu analysieren. Um politische Responsivität empirisch untersuchen zu können, müssen sowohl die Einstellungen der Bevölkerung als auch das Handeln der Politik operationalisiert und gemessen werden, um beides miteinander in Beziehung setzen zu können. Der Datensatz enthält deshalb Informationen zur öffentlichen Meinung und politischen Entscheidungen zu 823 Sachfragen. Er basiert auf Umfragedaten, die zwischen 1980 und 2016 im Rahmen der Politbarometer und DeutschlandTrend Umfragen erhoben wurden. Die einzelnen Sachfragen aus den Umfragen bilden die Analyseeinheit im Datensatz – sie fragen nach der Zustimmung oder Ablehnung zu einer vorgeschlagenen Politikänderung beziehungsweise Reform. Um die Bevölkerungseinstellungen zu operationalisieren, wurde für verschiedene soziale Gruppen der Anteil der Zustimmung für jede einzelne Frage berechnet. Für jede Sachfrage enthält die Datenbank zudem Informationen dazu, ob die vorgeschlagene Politikänderung in einem Zeitraum von zwei beziehungsweise vier Jahren nach der Befragung vom Bundestag beschlossen wurde oder nicht. Mit diesen Dummy-Variablen wird das Handeln der Politik erfasst. Weiterhin sind für jede Frage weitere Informationen ergänzt worden, um eine differenzierte Untersuchung zu ermöglichen.



Abstract English

The ResPOG dataset was created to analyze the German Bundestag's responsiveness to the German public (and to particular social groups). In order to empirically investigate political responsiveness, both public preferences and political action must be operationalized and measured. The dataset therefore contains information on public opinion and political decisions on 823 specific policy questions. It is based on survey data from Politbarometer and DeutschlandTrend surveys conducted between 1980 and 2016. The units of analysis in the dataset are the individual policy questions: the questions ask about the agreement or disagreement with a proposed policy change or reform. In order to operationalize public preferences, the support rates for every individual issue were calculated for various social groups. Additionally, the dataset contains information on whether or not the proposed policy change was enacted by the Bundestag within two or four years after the survey. These dummy variables capture political action. Each question is supplemented by additional information to allow for nuanced analysis. For example, the questions are coded by policy area and by which coalition controlled the Bundestag at survey time.

We test the importance of the three 'p factors' (performance, process and probity) to explain the evolution of political trust in Spain between 1997 and 2019. To this end, the study analyses two longitudinal datasets, namely, a repeated cross-sectional dataset from the Spanish samples of Eurobarometer and an individual-level panel survey conducted during a period of economic recovery in 2015. The study finds that perception about corruption and political process matter greatly in shaping political trust and to a lesser extent economic performance. Although the Great Recession is likely responsible for the sharp decline in trust towards political parties and the parliament between 2008 and 2012, the analysis suggests that trust in representative institutions remains low even after the Recession because of a series of devastating incidents regarding corruption and perceived shortcomings of the political process. In contrast, the study finds certain indications that trust in the judicial system might have been mainly affected by perceptions of corruption.

With a share of 30% in total final energy consumption and around 20% in CO2 emissions, private households in Germany strongly affect the environment. At the same time private households are an important target group for policy interventions to fight climate change. Against this background, numerous policy measures that intend to decrease energy consumption and to support renewable energy technologies have been introduced. These policy measures call for accurate evaluation to avoid expensive redundancies due to overlapping policy instruments. The evaluation of energy and environmental policy measures requires comprehensive and reliable data. So far such data was unavailable in Germany, especially in the context of private households. Hence, the responsiveness of German households to climate protection policies was unknown. For this purpose, the Socio-Ecological Panel offers rich information on household's energy consumption and environmental behavior. The data was gathered in four household surveys conducted in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. The survey waves can be merged using the household ID. The data builds the basis for empirical analyses of households' adaptation to climate change and the evaluation of environmental and climate policy measures. This data set comprises the information gathered in the 2014 survey wave.

With a share of 30% in total final energy consumption and around 20% in CO2 emissions, private households in Germany strongly affect the environment. At the same time private households are an important target group for policy interventions to fight climate change. Against this background, numerous policy measures that intend to decrease energy consumption and to support renewable energy technologies have been introduced. These policy measures call for accurate evaluation to avoid expensive redundancies due to overlapping policy instruments.
The evaluation of energy and environmental policy measures requires comprehensive and reliable data. So far such data was unavailable in Germany, especially in the context of private households. Hence, the responsiveness of German households to climate protection policies was unknown.
For this purpose, the Socio-Ecological Panel offers rich information on household's energy consumption and environmental behavior. The data was gathered in four household surveys conducted in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. The survey waves can be merged using the household ID. The data builds the basis for empirical analyses of households' adaptation to climate change and the evaluation of environmental and climate policy measures.
This data set comprises the information gathered in the 2013 survey wave.

With a share of 30% in total final energy consumption and around 20% in CO2 emissions, private households in Germany strongly affect the environment. At the same time private households are an important target group for policy interventions to fight climate change. Against this background, numerous policy measures that intend to decrease energy consumption and to support renewable energy technologies have been introduced. These policy measures call for accurate evaluation to avoid expensive redundancies due to overlapping policy instruments.
The evaluation of energy and environmental policy measures requires comprehensive and reliable data. So far such data was unavailable in Germany, especially in the context of private households. Hence, the responsiveness of German households to climate protection policies was unknown.
For this purpose, the Socio-Ecological Panel offers rich information on household's energy consumption and environmental behavior. The data was gathered in four household surveys conducted in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. The survey waves can be merged using the household ID. The data builds the basis for empirical analyses of households' adaptation to climate change and the evaluation of environmental and climate policy measures.
This data set comprises the information gathered in the 2012 survey wave.

The survey consists of two parts: 1. Post-election survey within the international comparative study which has been working for several decades under the title Comparative Studies of Electoral Systems (CSES, www.cses.org). In 2016, it was the implementation of Module 4 focused - in addition to standard electoral questions - on issues of redistribution. 2) survey within the frame of the International Social Research Program (ISSP, www.issp.org http://www.issp.org), namely module Role of the Government, implemented in Slovakia for the second time, the first one was in 2008. Both parts have joint socio-demographic identification variables. Post-election survey is focused on broad variety of factors related to electoral decision - the perception of political parties and their leaders, the satisfaction with democracy, evaluation of economic development, and aspects of election campaign. The Role of Government survey is focused on attitudes to government's competences, in general and specifically in relation to other actors - NGOs, private sector, church organizations and alike. Several questions deal with the public views on corruption, responsiveness, tax policies, interest in politics and other.
The survey also includes several questions that in the form of "split ballot" experimentally verify the validity of questions frequently used in the surveys, as well as scales and responses´ alternatives. These so-called "methodological experiments" are included in all data collections conducted within the APVV-14-0527 project, their results will be elaborated in a separate study.