Qixuan Yang

Broadly speaking, I am interested in topics related to democratic backsliding with respect to legislative activities. Parliaments are perhaps the most important institution representing society’s interest in a democracy. They not only represent voters’ preferences but also have an impact on social norms. In my research, I explore the behavioral strategies of German legislators beyond representation. Specifically, I look at how they compete or coordinate with each other in plenary debates that could undermine democratic norms: Adversarial interruptions, debate rule subversion, etc. I try to map the strategic incentives of such behavior and gauge its impact on voters in terms of their perception of democracy, liberalism, and the extent of freedom of speech.