Institutional opportunities and party position change: the case of LGBTQ+ rights in Canada

ABSTRACTHow does the institutional context shape how much party position change on LGBTQ+ rights is attributable to conversion (i.e., incumbents changing their positions) versus replacement (i.e., legislative turnover)? Research on party position change on LGBTQ+ rights has focused on the US, meaning findings may be limited to a particular institutional context. Turning to the Canadian case, I find that party position change on LGBTQ+ rights was larger in magnitude and happened faster in Canada than in the US. I argue that institutional differences created opportunities for more considerable and rapid conversion and replacement in Canada compared to the US. Institutional opportunities for conversion and replacement can vary by country, by party, and over time. As work on conversion, replacement, and party position change expands further beyond the US, it will be important to consider how the institutional context shapes opportunities for – and the dynamics of – party position change.