ABSTRACT
Among the present collection, this contribution may well stick out like a sore
thumb since it is the only one to focus on committee cohesion rather than legi-
slative party cohesion. In mitigation, for legislatures to work, their committees
have to work. Put another way, a basic level of committee cohesion – or effec-
tive collective working – is a necessary, if not sufficient condition of overall
legislative cohesion. To consider legislative cohesion without reference to
committee cohesion would be seriously remiss. What exactly committee cohe-
sion is, however, and how much of it there is in the west European parliaments
are the primary questions in this article. But first it is worth taking a step back.
