Comparative European politics / edited by Josep M. Colomer.

Rev. ed. of: Political institutions in Europe, 2nd ed.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction / Josep M. Colomer -- Great Britain and Ireland : variations in party government / Ian Budge -- Germany : the grand coalition state / Manfred G. Schmidt -- France : the institutionalisation of leadership / Yves Mâeny -- Italy : the never-ending transition of a democratic regime / Gianfranco Pasquino -- Spain and Portugal : rule by party leadership / Josep M. Colomer -- The Low Countries : confrontation and coalition in segmented societies / Hans Keman -- The Nordic countries : compromise and corporatism in the welfare state / Jan-Erik Lane and Svante Ersson -- The European Union : a federal, democratic empire? / Josep M. Colomer.

This is a clear, comprehensive introduction to the institutional regimes of countries in Western Europe written by an outstanding group of political scientists. Provides a complete coverage of individual countries or groups of countries, as well as to the European Union, allowing readers to draw sophisticated comparisons between countries. Written to a common template so that each chapter explores political parties, elections and electoral rules, parliaments, local, regional and state governments, and the relations between domestic institutions and the European Union.