Voices heard and unheard: Analizing legislative amendment proposals on underprivileged groups in Spain

Abstract

This paper explores the circumstances under which parliamentary groups reference underprivileged groups—specifically, women, immigrants and people with disabilities –in their legislative amendment proposals. Drawing on a comprehensive dataset covering all executive bills passed in Spain between 1996 and 2023, we find that the presence of interest groups in parliamentary hearings significantly increases the visibility of the underprivileged in the amending activity of political parties, thereby enhancing their representation. Similarly, a higher proportion of women Members of Parliament (MPs) in a parliamentary group is associated with more frequent amendments referencing women and people with disabilities, while there is some evidence, albeit less conclusive, of a similar effect for immigrants. Media coverage boosts attention to women and people with disabilities, but has no significant impact on references to immigrants. Surprisingly, partisan preferences have no influence on references to women and immigrants in amendment proposals; however, right-wing parties are more likely to reference people with disabilities. These findings contribute fresh insights into the dynamics of legislative behavior, representation, and the presence of interest groups in parliamentary processes.