Citizens’ preferences towards modes of representation: analysis and typology of the Spanish case

Abstract

This article analyses the preferences of Spaniards with regard to the way in which members of Parliament and political parties exercise representation. A homogeneity multivariant analysis (HOMALS) with data from a public opinion survey is used to establish a typology of the public’s preferences, related to the distinction between ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ developed by Andeweg and Thomassen (2005). In addition, a logistic regression analysis demonstrates that a range of sociodemographic and political factors affect preferences for representation. In particular, one factor is identified that has been undervalued in the literature to date: the size of the town.