Who Controls the Budget: The Legislature or the Executive?

Abstract:     
Country-specific factors prevent a strong linear relationship between the legislature`s budgetary powers and the extent of its separation from the executive. Electoral and voting systems, bicameralism, constitutional and legal constraints, voluntary contracts of political parties, and long-standing traditions all influence the relative budgetary powers of executives and legislatures. Differences in the legislature`s budgetary authority in twenty-eight countries with five different forms of government are examined. It is concluded that differences in budgetary powers within a particular form of government are as great as those between different forms of government.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 27

Keywords: Legislature, executive, separation, presidential, parliament, budget, power

JEL Classification: E62, H11, H30, H50, H61, H83, K10, K40, P48, P51

working papers series