ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book examines parliamentary party groups in Iberian legislatures. It shows that there is a strong dependence of parliamentary party groups on the extra-parliamentary organisation. The book suggests that, together with the electoral system, the internal balance of power in political parties erodes the independence of individual Members of parliament. It also examines the extent to which multilevel governance influences how parliamentary party groups operate. The book also suggests that increases in decision-making powers at the sub-national level reduced the power of the national parliament. It describes the ideological congruence between parliamentary elites and the citizenry before and after the 2008 Great Recession. The book explains the pivotal role of legislatures in law-making in both Portugal and Spain due to the prevalence of minority governments.
