A novel method quantifies political relationships by analyzing large-scale event data using latent factor network models.

Data & Methods

This technique tracks interactions across multiple venues continuously, capturing both partisan and nonpartisan engagements through bidirectional communication. It employs advanced computational modeling to identify underlying factors shaping these connections.

Key Findings

When applied between 2001–2014 in Western European nations (Bul France Germany Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Poland Spain United Kingdom), the analysis demonstrates that political relationships are primarily influenced by coalition status and policy differences between parties.

Implications

This freely available comparative measure can enhance various research designs, offering insights into how public interactions among politicians shape governance across different countries.