IMF Working Paper No 05115 - Who Controls the Budget The.pdf

WP/05/115 Who Controls the Budget: The Legislature or the Executive? Ian Lienert © 2005 International Monetary Fund WP/05/115 IMF Working Paper Fiscal Affairs Department Who Controls the Budget: The Legislature or the Executive? Prepared by Ian Lienert1 Authorized for distribution by Jack Diamond June 2005 Abstract This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF. The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate. Country-specific factors prevent a strong linear relationship between the legislature’s budgetary powers and the extent of its separation from the executive. Electoral and voting systems, bicameralism, constitutional and legal constraints, voluntary contracts of political parties, and long-standing traditions all influence the relative budgetary powers of executives and legislatures. Differences in the legislature’s budgetary authority in twenty-eight countries with five different forms of government are examined. It is concluded that differences in budgetary powers within a particular form of government are as great as those between different forms of government. JEL Classification Numbers: E62, H 11, H30, H50, H61, H83, K10, K40, P48, P51 Keywords: Legislature, executive, separation, presidential, parliame