Executives & Legislatures The Concentration of Power in Democratic Systems February 2nd, 2006

Prime Ministerial vs. Presidential Systems differences  fusion vs. separation of powers  tenure and elections  distinct vs. combined heads of state and government

Prime Ministerial vs. Presidential Systems world governments  38% parliamentary model  e.g. Canada/UK/Australia/New Zealand/Israel/Germany/Japan  54% presidential systems  e.g. US  mixed parliamentary and presidential systems  France

Prime Ministers and Presidents – Relationship with Legislature Prime Minister  fusion of power (executive & legislature)  PM must be a member of legislature and command support of majority of seats in parliament  under majority – strong control over legislature President  separation of powers (executive & legislature)  president does not control legislature (and cannot be a member of legislature)  checks and balances (executive, legislature courts)  branches are not designed to operate independently but interdependently

Legislates, Controls Budget, Approves Nominations and Treaties, Impeach, Override Veto Confirms Nominations, Impeach Nominates Judges VETO! Declare Laws Unconstitutional Declare Acts Unconstitutional

PMs and Presidents – Selection & Tenure Prime Ministerial selection  must command support of majority of seats in parliament  implications? no direct/independent “mandate” from the people can be PM without being elected PM PM can be forced out of office by internal challenger Prime Ministerial tenure  maximum time limit on Parliament  PM chooses timing of election (or forced into election)

PMs and Presidents – Selection & Tenure Presidential elections  direct  fixed term  guaranteed tenure  can’t pick and choose election timing  term limits  one term (Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay)  two-terms (US, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala)

Prime Ministers and Presidents – Relationship with Head of State Prime Minister  head of government but not head of state President  simultaneously head of government and head of state

France – The Hybrid System France and West Africa (Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Mali, Senegal), Eastern Europe (Poland, Bulgaria) executive power shared between elected President and Prime Minister semi-presidential  President nominates the PM  President typically appoints leader of ruling coalition to post of PM

France – The Hybrid System "cohabitation"  a President of one party, prime minister of another)  e.g. Chirac (UMP) and Jospin (Socialist Party) [ ]  Chirac (UMP) and De Villepin (UMP)  President typically exercises primary role in foreign and security policy  PM typically exercises primary role in domestic policy

France – The Hybrid System the “imperial” French presidency  ability to ‘dissolve’ the National Assembly  presidential term  7 years (until 2000)  5 years currently  no term limits on president

Conclusion how concentrated/fragmented should power be?  question of limited government & protection of individual rights how important is direct representation of the mass electorate?  question of enhancing mass participation which system you prefer will depend on the model of democracy you prefer

Political Executives and Democracy  e.g. separation of powers (presidential system) vs. fusion of powers (parliamentary system)  liberal democrats would like separation of powers which is designed to create checks and balances on government’s ability to act less concerned whether executive is direcly or indirectly elected  elite democrats would like fusion of powers system which allows elected executive significant power to pursue the common welfare not concerned about indirect election of executive  majoritarian democrats conflicted – trade-off between opportunities for mass participation and ability of government to pursue the common welfare –would prefer direct election of executive (over indirect) –would not want to deliberately fragment executive power to protect individual rights