Mayors’ Reelection Choice and the Economy: Evidence from Portugal

Using a data set that covers all Portuguese mainland municipalities for the period 1979-2005, this study performs an empirical analysis of the economic determinants of Mayors' choice to run for another term. The literature on the subject is mainly centered on the United States and, as far as we know, no papers are found addressing the economic factors of this choice. Probit panel estimations show that local economic conditions matter more than the national or regional economic environment. The results also confirm that political variables are important and that they influence the likelihood of seeking reelection in the same way as they affect vote and popularity functions.Local elections, Reelection, Mayor, Economic conditions, Probit model.

Economic Voting in Portuguese Municipal Elections

This paper analyses the impact of economic conditions on Portuguese local electoral outcomes. We use two extensive datasets to estimate an economic voting model which accounts for the possibility that different levels of government have different levels of responsibility for economic outcomes and for clarity of government responsibility. Empirical results indicate that the performance of the national economy is important especially if local governments are of the same party as the central government. The municipal situation is also relevant particularly in scenarios of higher clarity of government responsibilityLocal governments, Elections, Portugal, Voting, Economic conditions

Turnout and the modeling of economic conditions: Evidence from Portuguese elections

This paper analyzes the impact of economic conditions on voter turnout at Portuguese legislative and municipal elections. We use four extensive datasets to estimate an economic turnout model in which local economic variables are included in quadratic form, so that non-linear effects can be taken into account. The first two datasets cover all mainland municipalities (currently 278), from 1979 to 2005. The other two are cross-sections of all 4037 mainland freguesias, used to analyze the determinants of turnout at the 2001 municipal elections and at the 2002 legislative elections. Empirical results indicate that the performance of the national economy is important only in legislative elections and that, in accordance with our expectations, the regional and local unemployment rates tend to have a non-linear relationship with turnout.Turnout, Local governments, Elections, Portugal, Economic conditions

Economic Voting in Portuguese Municipal Elections

This paper analyses the impact of economic conditions on Portuguese local electoral outcomes. We use two extensive datasets to estimate an economic voting model which accounts for the possibility that different levels of government have different levels of responsibility for economic outcomes and for clarity of government responsibility. Empirical results indicate that the performance of the national economy is important especially if local governments are of the same party as the central government. The municipal situation is also relevant particularly in scenarios of higher clarity of government responsibility.Local governments, Elections, Portugal, Voting, Economic conditions

Materials as activator of future global science and technology challenges

H2020-WIDESPREAD-2020-5 CSA, 2020-INFRAIA-2020-1 EMERGE, Reference 101008701The aim of this statement is to give a contribution towards the future, where for all, materials are the driven force for the transformations we aim to reach and for which a global common house is imperative to be established, as the International Union of Materials Research Societies, IUMRS aims to be the central vehicle for such, aiming to boost innovation to its maxima, without compromising vital global principles of opening science to the world. This is consolidated by 4 main principles: Circular Economy; Trans disciplinarity; Horizontal cross cutting synergy (the introduced Metro Station concept); look always to the Big Picture and not to silos. This means that the traditional vertical thematic topics that were essential to define so far, the so-called road maps for something should be revisited and reconverted towards much larger horizontal scenarios.publishersversionpublishe

the pathway to explore materials as activators of the challenges of the future

Today we are engaged in promoting science for the beneft of the whole world and to create a better standard of living for all. This implies that we need to exploit the activators able to answer to the demands of such relevant challenges as far as creativity and innovation are concerned. In this respect, materials ofer a variety of solutions that stem from, or have been enhanced by, the perception we have that “Materials are everywhere—even in our body!”. Moreover, we must avoid residues as waste through reuse, recycling and circularity to serve a Green Agenda and bring prosperity for all. Also, our future developments will be grounded in the new capabilities ofered by digital and communication techniques. These open the challenges of artifcial intelligence, industry 4.0 technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), or Internet of Everything (IoE), and bring new relationships, which will have an important impact on discovering new materials.publishersversionpublishe

Some factors influencing the transport of chokka squid (Loligo reynaudii dOrbigny, 1839) paralarvae off the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-126).This thesis focuses on these raised concerns and attempts to refine the modelling approach used to test the WTH. This is achieved by investigating squid paralarval survival and their specific gravity using aquarium experiments together with an improved ocean model and IBM. The influence of temperature on yolk utilization was assessed through experimentation. Tank experiments found that yolk utilization rates in chokka squid paralarvae are directly affected by temperature with faster rates at high temperature and slower rates at low temperature

The Electoral Dynamics of Human Development

This paper analyses the impact of elections, partisan and political support effects on the dynamics of human development in a panel of 82 countries over the period 1980-2013. A GMM estimator is employed and the results point out to the presence of an electoral cycle in the growth rate of human development. Majority governments also influence it, but no evidence is found regarding partisan effects. The electoral cycles have proved to be stronger in non-OECD countries, in countries with less frequent elections, with lower levels of income and human development, in presidential and non-plurality systems and in proportional representation regimes