Horizontal Policy Consistency
Policy consistency across policy fields, not just within them.
(Pal, Leslie. 2006. Beyond Policy Analysis: Public Issue Management in Turbulent Times, 3rd ed. Toronto: Nelson Education, p. 35.)
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Horizontal consistency is based on the expectation that what governments do in one field will not contradict what they do in others. It is important for democratic politics because it demonstrates that there is an underlying philosophy of government that cuts across all policy fields. It also helps to keep government accountable by creating a broadly consistent line of policy that government is expected to follow.