This book takes a fresh look at coalition theory in the light of the European coalition experience.

List of illustrations; List of tables; Notes on the contributors; Preface; 1. An inductive theoretical framework for coalitional behaviour: political parties in multi-dimensional perspective in Western Europe Geoffrey Pridham; 2. Between theoretical elegance and political reality: deductive models and cabinet coalitions in Europe Michael Laver; 3. Changing coalitional preferences among West German parties Ursula Hoffmann-Lange; 4. The FDP and coalitional behaviour in the Federal Republic of Germany: multi-dimensional perspectives on the role of a pivotal party David Broughton and Emil Kirchner; 5. Cabinet stability in the French Fourth Republic: the Ramadier coalition government of 1947 Eric C. Browne and Dennis W. Gleiber; 6. Coalition formation and maintenance in Belgium: a case-study of elite behaviour and changing cleavage structure, 1965-1981 Christ Rudd; 7. The Dutch Christian Democratic party and coalitional behaviour in the Netherlands: a pivotal party in the face of depillarisation Jan de Jong and Bert Pijnenburg; 8. Coalition or Fianna Fail? the politics of inter-party government in Ireland Michael Laver and Michael D. Higgins; 9. Italy's party democracy and coalitional behaviour: a case-study in multi-dimensionality Geoffrey Pridham; 10. Party coalitions in the first democratic period in Spain, 1977-1982 Jordi Capo; 11. Coalitional theory and practice in Scandinavia John Fitzmaurice; 12. Multi-dimensional approaches to the study of local coalitions: some cross-national comparisons Colin Mellors and Patricia Brearey; 13a. Research notes: a note on the empirical analysis of coalition policy Michael Laver; 13b. An events conceptualisation of cabinet stability: a research programme Eric C. Browne and Dennis W. Gleiber; Notes; References; Index.