Formal rules, informal norms and the everyday practice of coalition governance

Abstract

Despite the significant attention devoted to their birth and death, the day-today operation of coalition government remains understudied. This article addresses this lacuna, and sheds light on the dynamics of coalition governance by examining the interplay between macro-level institutions, mesolevel values and micro-level practices. Focusing on the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition that governed the United Kingdom between 2010-15, this analysis reveals the extent to which the everyday practice of coalition governance is flexible, contingent, and proceeds through informal negotiation and accommodation. It also draws attention to the dilemmas faced by coalition actors in terms of reconciling competing loyalties and appeasing a wide range of audiences. Through this analysis, the art-in-incoalition governance, and between the different ways that coalition governance is enacted on the T tant new avenue of research for coalition scholars.