A comparative dataset of the institutions that can make, block, finance, enforce or legitimise consequential political decisions. The tracker connects formal decision rules with State & Power's reporting on how those powers operate in practice.
Each institution is coded for its principal decision mechanisms and matched to published State & Power coverage using institution-specific terms. The dataset is designed to compare where formal authority sits and where practical veto points emerge. Article counts measure our own coverage, not the objective importance of an institution.
The tracker is maintained by State & Power and will expand as new institutions and reporting enter the publication. Source links point to institutional or primary documentation wherever practical.
How consensus, national sovereignty, collective defence and military planning shape NATO's practical power.
Decision mechanisms: Consensus decision-making · North Atlantic Council · National implementation · Collective defence
How the Commission, Parliament, Council and member governments divide authority across legislation, sanctions and implementation.
Decision mechanisms: Legislative initiative · Co-legislation · Member-state voting · National implementation
How delegated authority, the FOMC and economic constraints shape US monetary power.
Decision mechanisms: FOMC decisions · Delegated statutory authority · Open-market operations · Economic transmission
How permanent-member vetoes, Council voting and member-state implementation shape the UN's strongest formal security powers.
Decision mechanisms: Council voting · Permanent-member veto · Binding resolutions · Member-state implementation
How jurisdiction, complementarity, judicial process and state cooperation define the ICC's reach and its enforcement limits.
Decision mechanisms: Rome Statute jurisdiction · Complementarity · Judicial warrants · State cooperation
How quotas, surveillance, lending and programme conditions give the IMF influence in economic crises.
Decision mechanisms: Quota voting · Surveillance · Crisis lending · Programme conditionality
How Bundestag majorities, Land governments and consent requirements divide federal legislative power in Germany.
Decision mechanisms: Bundestag majorities · Bundesrat consent · Mediation Committee · Constitutional thresholds
How presidential authority, executive agencies, Congress and the courts shape the practical reach of the US presidency.
Decision mechanisms: Executive direction · Veto power · Appointments · Commander-in-chief authority
How legislation, appropriations, oversight, confirmations and impeachment give Congress leverage over the executive and federal policy.
Decision mechanisms: Legislation · Power of the purse · Oversight · Senate advice and consent
How constitutional review, precedent, jurisdiction and compliance shape the Court's power over federal and state action.
Decision mechanisms: Judicial review · Case selection · Precedent · Remedies
How the Governing Council sets euro-area monetary policy and how its mandate, transmission mechanisms and member central banks shape implementation.
Decision mechanisms: Governing Council · Policy rates · Eurosystem operations · Banking supervision
How EU heads of state or government set political direction while relying on other EU institutions to turn priorities into law.
Decision mechanisms: Strategic direction · Leader consensus · Treaty roles · High-level appointments
How national ministers legislate, coordinate policy and use qualified majority, unanimity and other voting rules across EU decision-making.
Decision mechanisms: Qualified-majority voting · Unanimity · Co-legislation · Rotating presidency
How directly elected MEPs shape EU legislation, budgets, scrutiny and approval of the European Commission.
Decision mechanisms: Co-legislation · Budget authority · Commission approval · Parliamentary scrutiny
How confidence, legislation, scrutiny and control of taxation and spending constrain and enable British governments.
Decision mechanisms: Confidence · Legislation · Scrutiny · Supply and taxation
How the Monetary Policy Committee, statutory objectives and financial-stability functions shape British monetary power.
Decision mechanisms: Monetary Policy Committee · Bank Rate · Asset operations · Financial stability
How France's semi-presidential constitution divides executive authority between the president, prime minister, government and parliament.
Decision mechanisms: Presidential appointment powers · Foreign and defence role · Dissolution · Shared executive authority
How Germany's elected federal chamber legislates, chooses the chancellor, controls budgets and scrutinises government.
Decision mechanisms: Chancellor election · Legislation · Budget authority · Government scrutiny
How universal membership, budget authority, elections and non-binding resolutions give the General Assembly agenda-setting and institutional power.
Decision mechanisms: One-state-one-vote · Budget approval · Institutional elections · Recommendations
How shareholder voting, lending, country programmes and conditional financing give the World Bank influence over development policy.
Decision mechanisms: Shareholder voting · Project lending · Country programmes · Policy finance
How member consensus, negotiated rules and dispute procedures structure the multilateral trading system.
Decision mechanisms: Member consensus · Ministerial Conference · General Council · Dispute settlement
How the Policy Board sets monetary policy and how appointments, market operations and economic conditions constrain implementation.
Decision mechanisms: Policy Board · Monetary Policy Meetings · Market operations · Majority voting
How senior party leadership, the Politburo and its Standing Committee sit at the centre of China's party-state decision-making system.
Decision mechanisms: Party leadership · Politburo decisions · Standing Committee · Cadre system
How member states use the Assembly, Executive Council and Peace and Security Council to coordinate continental policy and collective action.
Decision mechanisms: Assembly decisions · Executive Council · Peace and Security Council · Member-state implementation
How a non-treaty grouping of major advanced economies coordinates political commitments without a supranational enforcement mechanism.
Decision mechanisms: Leader coordination · Ministerial commitments · Joint statements · National implementation