This paper introduces new data quantifying legislative capacity in Germany's national and subnational parliaments. The dataset includes metrics like legislator salary, informational expenditures, committee sessions, and plenary meetings.
A summary measure based on the Squire Index methodology is created alongside one from factor analysis to capture this professional aspect of parliamentarians' work more comprehensively.
Internal Validity Assessment:
The authors test these measures by analyzing recent reforms in Baden-Württemberg. External Validity Check:
Electoral turnover serves as a comparison point. These data offer insights into the causes and consequences of legislative capacity, providing researchers with tools to study this phenomenon further.
Usage Recommendations:
The authors suggest that colleagues utilize these findings for broader research questions about parliamentary professionalism in Germany and encourage similar investigations elsewhere.
