The authors of this article find that politicians whose theoretical outlook is that voters have a long-term orientation are significantly more willing to opt for long-term policy solutions that impose short-term costs. They also fail to find a meaningful effect of election proximity on the preferences of politicians for short-term versus long-term policies.

Understanding policy-makers' perceptions about the appropriate role of citizens in the democratic process has significant normative and practical relevance. This study presents an in-depth, mixed-methods analysis of participatory views of politicians, public officials, and interest group representatives in Finland.