KAPITEL Innerparteiliche Gruppierungen als Untersuchungsgeg- stand der Parteienforschung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1 1 Bestandsaufnahme der vergleichenden Faktional- musforschung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 10 1. 1. 1 Zur Begriffsbestimmung 1 . 1 . 2 Entstehungsbedingungen 16 1. 1. 2. 1 Organisationsstruktur der Parteien . . . . 16 20 1. 1. 2. 2 Parteiensystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 1. 1. 2. 3 Wahlsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. 1. 3 Organisationsformen . . . ....

A presentation of the structure and workings of the national cabinets in Western European countries today, based on a common framework which enables the reader to compare their origins, structure, composition and activities. Emphasis is placed on the leadership and on the character of coalitions.

Parliamentary cabinets are supposed to be collective bodies, taking their decisions on the basis of agreements among all the members. Yet much has been made of the growth of the role of prime ministers, not just in Britain, but all over western Europe. Much has also been made of the trend towards letting cabinet decisions be taken by committees or even by individual ministers. It is indeed true that twenty men and women, meeting only a few hours a week, cannot take all the decisions of the State. These are the issues which this study examines, on the basis of the replies of over 400 cabinet...