1. ^aThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3265. E-mail: Frankb@unc.edu
2. ^bSciences Po Bordeaux, 11 allée Ausone, Domaine universitaire, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France
3. ^cSciences Po Paris, 98, rue de l'Université, 75007 Paris, France. E-mail: emiliano.grossman@sciences-po.fr

Correspondence: Sylvain Brouard, E-mail: s.brouard@sciencespobordeaux.fr

Abstract

This paper presents an original way of testing the 'partisan hypothesis'. Building on the substantial literature on the party-policy link, we test this link with respect to issue attention, rather than spending or macroeconomic outcomes. We examine the evolution of issue attention through the systematic analysis of agenda setting of three major French political institutions: the President, the government and the National Assembly. Although our results point to partisan differentiation on some issues, the overall conclusion is that partisan differentiation is at best one factor of variation among others.