"The absence of a minimum income scheme was a key feature of the Southern European Model. In the past 20 years, countries in this cluster have witnessed major changes in this policy field. In particular, in Spain, regional safety nets have been introduced which cover the entire country and consolidated over time. Also in Italy, regional programmes were introduced, but they do not diffuse throughout the country and were often subsequently discontinued. How can we explain path departure and divergence in the policy trajectories, in those two otherwise similar countries? To solve those puzzles, this article departs from previous claims about the limited relevance of political competition in this policy field, underlying the crucial role of specific political exchange between social actors and political parties. "

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