Leadership overlap and party-group linkages: evidence from the Portuguese case

Abstract

Most studies on the interaction between political parties and interest groups rely on organiza- tional or ideological/programmatic linkages. However, leader- ship overlap can also be a relevant dimension not only because of the increasing importance of informal relations between the two types of political actors but also given the mutual bene- fits these ties have in terms of decision-making processes. Drawing on an original dataset of party and interest group elite networks, this study examines party-group connections by relying on the profile of leadership in Portugal and inves- tigates whether the crisis has affected the links between these actors. The findings indicate that leadership overlap is rather weak and that it mostly concerns trade unions and left-wing parties. Finally, these linkages demonstrate substantial stability over time, suggesting the importance of ideological proximity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio