Ruxandra Serban
@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social
Political scientist researching how things work in different parliaments. Co-Convener of PSA Parliaments | ruxandraserban.com
Keir Starmer uses the answer to the ‘engagements’ (first) question at PMQs as an opening statement.
On average, they are around 153 words, but some have been longer (e.g. about 586 words on the China spying case), leading to criticism that he’s using them as a substitute for a full statement.
On average, they are around 153 words, but some have been longer (e.g. about 586 words on the China spying case), leading to criticism that he’s using them as a substitute for a full statement.
In Business Questions today, Jesse Norman said: 'since taking office last year, the present Prime Minister has increasingly misused his first engagements question'.
@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social and Tom Fleming have crunched the numbers to find that Keir Starmer does use PMQs differently.
Read more 👇
@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social and Tom Fleming have crunched the numbers to find that Keir Starmer does use PMQs differently.
Read more 👇
How has Keir Starmer changed Prime Minister’s Questions?
Since taking office, Keir Starmer has used his opening answer at Prime Minister’s Questions very differently from his predecessors. In this post, Ruxandra Serban and Tom Fleming explore how Starmer…
constitution-unit.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Keir Starmer uses the answer to the ‘engagements’ (first) question at PMQs as an opening statement.
On average, they are around 153 words, but some have been longer (e.g. about 586 words on the China spying case), leading to criticism that he’s using them as a substitute for a full statement.
On average, they are around 153 words, but some have been longer (e.g. about 586 words on the China spying case), leading to criticism that he’s using them as a substitute for a full statement.
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
Missing here is another way unis are managing costs: a de facto hiring freeze across much of the sector (judging by how few jobs are being advertised)
I’m old enough to remember when everybody agreed that higher education was a “market” and offering “choice” was how the universities were meant to grow
on.ft.com/3WTwBue
on.ft.com/3WTwBue
October 27, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Missing here is another way unis are managing costs: a de facto hiring freeze across much of the sector (judging by how few jobs are being advertised)
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN 🎉
The PSA Parliaments Annual Conference 2025 will be hosted by the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of York in conjunction with The White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership on the 27th-28th November!
The PSA Parliaments Annual Conference 2025 will be hosted by the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of York in conjunction with The White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership on the 27th-28th November!
October 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN 🎉
The PSA Parliaments Annual Conference 2025 will be hosted by the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of York in conjunction with The White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership on the 27th-28th November!
The PSA Parliaments Annual Conference 2025 will be hosted by the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of York in conjunction with The White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership on the 27th-28th November!
📣 We are very excited for this year’s @psa-parliaments.bsky.social annual conference taking place at the University of York!
📝 More details and registration:
psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
📝 More details and registration:
psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
October 17, 2025 at 12:28 PM
📣 We are very excited for this year’s @psa-parliaments.bsky.social annual conference taking place at the University of York!
📝 More details and registration:
psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
📝 More details and registration:
psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
It is briefings day!
We are releasing newly updated versions of our briefings, plus three new ones!
The series covers topics from the constitutional principles that underpin democracy to the role of citizens' assemblies.
Use this mega-thread to browse them.
And find out more 👇
We are releasing newly updated versions of our briefings, plus three new ones!
The series covers topics from the constitutional principles that underpin democracy to the role of citizens' assemblies.
Use this mega-thread to browse them.
And find out more 👇
Constitution Unit publishes new briefings on constitutional principles and the health of democracy
The Constitution Unit has today published new and updated briefings as part of its Constitutional Principles and the Health of Democracy project.
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 15, 2025 at 6:00 AM
It is briefings day!
We are releasing newly updated versions of our briefings, plus three new ones!
The series covers topics from the constitutional principles that underpin democracy to the role of citizens' assemblies.
Use this mega-thread to browse them.
And find out more 👇
We are releasing newly updated versions of our briefings, plus three new ones!
The series covers topics from the constitutional principles that underpin democracy to the role of citizens' assemblies.
Use this mega-thread to browse them.
And find out more 👇
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
ON THE BLOG: Prime Minister's Question Period in the Canadian House of Commons: Lessons in parliamentary reform
@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social explains how Canada's experiment with a Prime Minister's Question Period procedure between 2017 and 2025 worked and how it differed from the traditional model.
@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social explains how Canada's experiment with a Prime Minister's Question Period procedure between 2017 and 2025 worked and how it differed from the traditional model.
Prime Minister's Question Period in the Canadian House of Commons: Lessons in parliamentary reform
Between 2017 and 2025, the Canadian House of Commons operated a Prime Minister’s Question Period procedure, introduced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In a new published article summarised here, Ruxandra Serban explores how this procedure worked, and how it differed from the traditional Question Period model.
constitution-unit.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:55 AM
ON THE BLOG: Prime Minister's Question Period in the Canadian House of Commons: Lessons in parliamentary reform
@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social explains how Canada's experiment with a Prime Minister's Question Period procedure between 2017 and 2025 worked and how it differed from the traditional model.
@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social explains how Canada's experiment with a Prime Minister's Question Period procedure between 2017 and 2025 worked and how it differed from the traditional model.
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
New Working Paper 🚨
I am introducing the new dataset on Parliamentary Elites in Authoritarian Regimes (PEAR). It includes information on the composition of parliaments in 819 legislative terms in 130 autocracies from 1945 - based on over 200k individual-level observations.
tinyurl.com/48h68hmh
I am introducing the new dataset on Parliamentary Elites in Authoritarian Regimes (PEAR). It includes information on the composition of parliaments in 819 legislative terms in 130 autocracies from 1945 - based on over 200k individual-level observations.
tinyurl.com/48h68hmh
October 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
New Working Paper 🚨
I am introducing the new dataset on Parliamentary Elites in Authoritarian Regimes (PEAR). It includes information on the composition of parliaments in 819 legislative terms in 130 autocracies from 1945 - based on over 200k individual-level observations.
tinyurl.com/48h68hmh
I am introducing the new dataset on Parliamentary Elites in Authoritarian Regimes (PEAR). It includes information on the composition of parliaments in 819 legislative terms in 130 autocracies from 1945 - based on over 200k individual-level observations.
tinyurl.com/48h68hmh
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
1/ Whatever you think of digital ID, the process matters.
And in 2025, this is still how we make big public policy. 👇
And in 2025, this is still how we make big public policy. 👇
September 26, 2025 at 4:18 PM
1/ Whatever you think of digital ID, the process matters.
And in 2025, this is still how we make big public policy. 👇
And in 2025, this is still how we make big public policy. 👇
It was great to talk about all things PMQs with @ruthfox.bsky.social and @darcyxtip.bsky.social on @hansardsociety.bsky.social Parliament Matters!
We discuss why France and Canada have experimented with PMQs, and why it may be time to retire the ‘engagements’ question.
youtu.be/OtpApR3fNQE?...
We discuss why France and Canada have experimented with PMQs, and why it may be time to retire the ‘engagements’ question.
youtu.be/OtpApR3fNQE?...
Prime Minister's Questions: Westminster's weekly gladiatorial combat
YouTube video by Hansard Society
youtu.be
August 29, 2025 at 9:03 AM
It was great to talk about all things PMQs with @ruthfox.bsky.social and @darcyxtip.bsky.social on @hansardsociety.bsky.social Parliament Matters!
We discuss why France and Canada have experimented with PMQs, and why it may be time to retire the ‘engagements’ question.
youtu.be/OtpApR3fNQE?...
We discuss why France and Canada have experimented with PMQs, and why it may be time to retire the ‘engagements’ question.
youtu.be/OtpApR3fNQE?...
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
Want a good starting point for learning good principles of Dataviz?
I'd highly recommend @andrew.heiss.phd course--Data Visualization with R.
Reading materials, slides, lecture videos, examples, code, etc. are all posted for free on his website.
I'd highly recommend @andrew.heiss.phd course--Data Visualization with R.
Reading materials, slides, lecture videos, examples, code, etc. are all posted for free on his website.
August 12, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Want a good starting point for learning good principles of Dataviz?
I'd highly recommend @andrew.heiss.phd course--Data Visualization with R.
Reading materials, slides, lecture videos, examples, code, etc. are all posted for free on his website.
I'd highly recommend @andrew.heiss.phd course--Data Visualization with R.
Reading materials, slides, lecture videos, examples, code, etc. are all posted for free on his website.
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
Couldn't even finish this cos I thought I would turn myself inside out like a pretzel with cringe. The stupid, it burns! www.theguardian.com/education/20...
International student levy could cost English universities £600m a year
The proposed 6% surcharge has prompted warnings from vice-chancellors over its impact on budgets and global competitiveness
www.theguardian.com
August 8, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Couldn't even finish this cos I thought I would turn myself inside out like a pretzel with cringe. The stupid, it burns! www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
🎉 PSA Parliaments Annual Conference on 28 Nov @york.ac.uk 🎉
📣 Call for Papers is now live! Submit your abstract here: bit.ly/4o879gP
✏️Our ECR methods workshop will also take place on 27 Nov! Apply here: bit.ly/3J4uQXk
💻 Check out our website for more details: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
📣 Call for Papers is now live! Submit your abstract here: bit.ly/4o879gP
✏️Our ECR methods workshop will also take place on 27 Nov! Apply here: bit.ly/3J4uQXk
💻 Check out our website for more details: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
July 28, 2025 at 4:48 PM
🎉 PSA Parliaments Annual Conference on 28 Nov @york.ac.uk 🎉
📣 Call for Papers is now live! Submit your abstract here: bit.ly/4o879gP
✏️Our ECR methods workshop will also take place on 27 Nov! Apply here: bit.ly/3J4uQXk
💻 Check out our website for more details: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
📣 Call for Papers is now live! Submit your abstract here: bit.ly/4o879gP
✏️Our ECR methods workshop will also take place on 27 Nov! Apply here: bit.ly/3J4uQXk
💻 Check out our website for more details: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
This is the kind of article APSR used to be famous for. The ones that make your brain explode, that challenge you, confuse you, test your patience, and make you smarter by making you realize your limitations. Well done Erica Simmons and @nickrushsmith.bsky.social 👏
July 28, 2025 at 8:35 PM
This is the kind of article APSR used to be famous for. The ones that make your brain explode, that challenge you, confuse you, test your patience, and make you smarter by making you realize your limitations. Well done Erica Simmons and @nickrushsmith.bsky.social 👏
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
We live in an era of democratic backsliding. But the terminology of "backsliding" isn't up to the task of making sense of the deep crisis of liberal democracy around the world. I've just finished a working paper that lays out what I think is going on.
tl;dr it's about the state and society
🧵
tl;dr it's about the state and society
🧵
State, Society, and the Politics of Democratic Backsliding
Recent scholarship on democratic backsliding has focused on measuring its global prevalence and identifying the causal processes and mechanisms that produce or
papers.ssrn.com
July 23, 2025 at 2:10 PM
We live in an era of democratic backsliding. But the terminology of "backsliding" isn't up to the task of making sense of the deep crisis of liberal democracy around the world. I've just finished a working paper that lays out what I think is going on.
tl;dr it's about the state and society
🧵
tl;dr it's about the state and society
🧵
Changing adversarial behaviour at PMQs is a collective action problem. MPs and parties criticise it, but continue to engage in it because confrontation draws attention to PMQs and is the way it has worked for a long time. Meaningful change would require all parties agreeing to stop engaging in this.
This, by @alanrenwick.bsky.social, is spot on about the dire impact of Prime Minister's Questions - the flagship event of the parliamentary week.
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
July 18, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Changing adversarial behaviour at PMQs is a collective action problem. MPs and parties criticise it, but continue to engage in it because confrontation draws attention to PMQs and is the way it has worked for a long time. Meaningful change would require all parties agreeing to stop engaging in this.
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
I’m really pleased that the @psa-parliaments.bsky.social conference will be at @uoypolitics.bsky.social this November!
If you work in the field of parliaments or legislative studies please consider applying
More details on the website: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
If you work in the field of parliaments or legislative studies please consider applying
More details on the website: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
Annual Conference – PSA Parliaments
psaparliaments.org
July 17, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I’m really pleased that the @psa-parliaments.bsky.social conference will be at @uoypolitics.bsky.social this November!
If you work in the field of parliaments or legislative studies please consider applying
More details on the website: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
If you work in the field of parliaments or legislative studies please consider applying
More details on the website: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
I've been working on something on this and here's a sneak peek of recent trends in Politics job adverts on jobs.ac.uk
Here's a scatterplot and (GAM) trendline showing that the number of advertised politics jobs has pretty much halved since 2021.
Here's a scatterplot and (GAM) trendline showing that the number of advertised politics jobs has pretty much halved since 2021.
July 16, 2025 at 12:10 PM
I've been working on something on this and here's a sneak peek of recent trends in Politics job adverts on jobs.ac.uk
Here's a scatterplot and (GAM) trendline showing that the number of advertised politics jobs has pretty much halved since 2021.
Here's a scatterplot and (GAM) trendline showing that the number of advertised politics jobs has pretty much halved since 2021.
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
After debate this amendment was not pushed to a division, the Bill will return (after 3rd Reading) with 3 principal amendments:
1) phasing hereditaries out by abolishing by-elections
2) essentially banning unsalaried lords ministers
3) allowing creation of life peers without a seat in parliament
1) phasing hereditaries out by abolishing by-elections
2) essentially banning unsalaried lords ministers
3) allowing creation of life peers without a seat in parliament
The House of Lords is now debating the amendment from Lord (Terry) Burns, which would cap the size of the Lords at 650 members and thereby limit prime ministerial appointments.
Read the amendment 👉 bills.parliament.uk/bills/3755/s....
And use our thread to get up to speed 👇
Read the amendment 👉 bills.parliament.uk/bills/3755/s....
And use our thread to get up to speed 👇
Today the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is set to have its second day of report stage in the Lords.
We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments.
A thread 👇
We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments.
A thread 👇
July 10, 2025 at 6:41 AM
After debate this amendment was not pushed to a division, the Bill will return (after 3rd Reading) with 3 principal amendments:
1) phasing hereditaries out by abolishing by-elections
2) essentially banning unsalaried lords ministers
3) allowing creation of life peers without a seat in parliament
1) phasing hereditaries out by abolishing by-elections
2) essentially banning unsalaried lords ministers
3) allowing creation of life peers without a seat in parliament
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
Today the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is set to have its second day of report stage in the Lords.
We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments.
A thread 👇
We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments.
A thread 👇
July 9, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Today the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is set to have its second day of report stage in the Lords.
We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments.
A thread 👇
We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments.
A thread 👇
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
Me, on a podcast, talking about backbench rebellions. What else do you want?
pod.link/oppositionca...
pod.link/oppositionca...
OppositionCast
Discussion of political opposition with leading academics, politicians and commentators, presented by Dr Nigel Fletcher of the Centre for Opposition Studies.
pod.link
July 6, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Me, on a podcast, talking about backbench rebellions. What else do you want?
pod.link/oppositionca...
pod.link/oppositionca...
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
Brilliant scoop from the always excellent @sophiealichurch.bsky.social at @politicshome.bsky.social: The QEII Centre *finally* agreed as the decant location for the Lords during Restoration and Renewal www.politicshome.com/news/article... #WestminsterRR
House of Lords To Move To QEII Centre While Parliament Restored
The House of Lords is set to move to the QEII Centre while Parliament is restored, no matter which option for the estate’s restoration is eventuall...
www.politicshome.com
July 3, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Brilliant scoop from the always excellent @sophiealichurch.bsky.social at @politicshome.bsky.social: The QEII Centre *finally* agreed as the decant location for the Lords during Restoration and Renewal www.politicshome.com/news/article... #WestminsterRR
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
If anyone has something like this for the UK I'd be very intrigued...
APSA eJobs year-to-year comparison #polisky:
June 2024: 41 positions (20 assistant TT positions)
June 2025: 29 positions (12 assistant TT positions)
June 2024: 41 positions (20 assistant TT positions)
June 2025: 29 positions (12 assistant TT positions)
July 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
If anyone has something like this for the UK I'd be very intrigued...
If true, this feels like a very unfortunate continuation of the “AI will make qualitative research scalable” trend, which misunderstands the core premises and aims of qualitative research.
Morgan McSweeney (UK Labour's Dominic Cummings knock-off) is reportedly experimenting with 'synthetic voters' – "essentially fake focus groups of AI voters who can tell ministers more quickly and cheaply what the public thinks of policies" www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-...
#govtech #govcomms
#govtech #govcomms
July 3, 2025 at 12:44 PM
If true, this feels like a very unfortunate continuation of the “AI will make qualitative research scalable” trend, which misunderstands the core premises and aims of qualitative research.
Reposted by Ruxandra Serban
What is a parliament?
This workshop aims to start a fresh conversation on this classic question in legislative studies.
⏰ You have two more days (deadline Friday 4 July) to submit a brief paper proposal.
Sign up details below ⬇️
This workshop aims to start a fresh conversation on this classic question in legislative studies.
⏰ You have two more days (deadline Friday 4 July) to submit a brief paper proposal.
Sign up details below ⬇️
📢📢📢 CfP: What is a Parliament?
***Hurry! Deadline is this Friday!***
Interdisciplinary workshop on 19th September 2025 in London.
Full details below.
Kindly sponsored by Birkbeck, the University of Birmingham and
@psa-parliaments.bsky.social
Please apply and/or spread the word!
***Hurry! Deadline is this Friday!***
Interdisciplinary workshop on 19th September 2025 in London.
Full details below.
Kindly sponsored by Birkbeck, the University of Birmingham and
@psa-parliaments.bsky.social
Please apply and/or spread the word!
July 2, 2025 at 3:16 PM
What is a parliament?
This workshop aims to start a fresh conversation on this classic question in legislative studies.
⏰ You have two more days (deadline Friday 4 July) to submit a brief paper proposal.
Sign up details below ⬇️
This workshop aims to start a fresh conversation on this classic question in legislative studies.
⏰ You have two more days (deadline Friday 4 July) to submit a brief paper proposal.
Sign up details below ⬇️