Outside Earnings, Absence, and Activity: Evidence from Germany Parliamentarians

Arbeitspapier

We examine moonlighting by politicians in Germany. In July 2007, the German Supreme Court adjudicated that members of parliament (MPs) have to publish details of their outside earnings. Using panel data models, we investigate how outside earnings are correlated with absence and parliamentary activity. The results do not indicate that outside earnings are correlated with absence rates and speeches; but they do suggest that outside earnings are somewhat negatively correlated with oral contributions, interpellations, and group initiatives. We propose that the results for Germany do not corroborate evidence on other countries such as Italy because party discipline, institutions, and political cultures differ across countries.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 4900

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior ; Structure, Scope, and Performance of Government
• Subject: moonlighting by politicians ; outside earnings ; attendance and activity in parliament ; good and bad politicians

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Arnold, Felix ; Kauder, Björn ; Potrafke, Niklas
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2014

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/102200
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET