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Gerrymandering for survival Back

Friday, 9/27/2024   
Miguel Rodrigues
The financial crisis that hit Portugal in the early 2010s triggered a series of territorial reforms imposed by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the troika. One of the most significant was the 2013 reform, which aimed to reduce the number of parishes in the country in order to improve administrative efficiency and cut costs. However, this process of territorial aggregation, far from being a simple administrative rationalization measure, provided mayors with an opportunity to influence their political position through gerrymandering, the manipulation of territorial boundaries with the aim of securing electoral advantages.

The study “Gerrymandering for Survival”, published by Miguel Ângelo Rodrigues, Oliver Meza and Carmen Navarro, explores the political and strategic conditions that shaped mayors' decisions during this aggregation process. The article draws on data from 278 Portuguese municipalities to examine how local leaders reacted to pressure to restructure parish boundaries.

The results produce evidence that, depending on political vulnerability, mayors are more likely to redraw parish boundaries to ensure maximum electoral advantage. This practice implies a process of aggregation or dilution of votes, depending on the most advantageous circumstances in political terms.

For more information see the link https://shorturl.at/Apu2D

Miguel Ângelo Rodrigues has a PhD in Administrative Sciences from the University of Minho and is an Associate Professor with Aggregation in the Political Science department at the School of Economics and Management at the University of Minho. He is a researcher at the CICP (Political Science Research Center) of the same school, in Braga, Portugal.

Oliver Meza has a PhD in Public Policy from the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE). He is currently a research professor at CIDE's Public Administration Center - Central Region.

Carmen Navarro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Her areas of specialization are Local Government and Public Policy.
Gabinete de Comunicação
Escola de Economia e Gestão
Universidade do Minho
Telefone: 253 604541
Email: gci@eeg.uminho.pt
Miguel Rodrigues