Core Issues in Comparative Politics (PO233) Module Director: Dr. Renske Doorenspleet Associate Professor in Comparative Politics director Centre for Studies in Democratization Department of Politics and International Studies University of Warwick, UK www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/staff/doorenspleet/ www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/research/csd/

Types of Democracies Consensus versus Majoritarian Systems (Lijphart 1999, see also week 11): Executive-parties dimension (how easy is it for one party to take control of the government?) 1.concentration of executive power (week 14) 2.dominance of executive (week 14) 3.two-party vs. multiparty system (week 12) 4. majoritarian electoral rules vs. PR (week 13) 5. types of interest groups Federal-unitary dimension

Content Lecture week 14 Legislatures and Executives A.Legislatures (read Kreppel 2008; Hague and Harrop 2007, Ch. 15) B.The political executive: parliamentary versus presidential systems (Hague and Harrop 2007, Ch. 16!) C. Back to Lijphart (read literature week 11) D. Contents of seminar week 15

A. Legislatures Legislature versus Assembly Within legislatures: Parliaments (in parliamentary or ‘fused-power’ systems) versus Congresses (in presidential or ‘separation-of-power’ systems)

A. Legislatures parliamentary versus presidential systems: differences in type of relationship between executive and legislative. Parliamentary systems are characterized by: - An executive branch selected from within and by the legislature - An executive branch which can be removed from office at any time - A high degree of mutual dependence between executive and legislature Examples: UK, Germany, the Netherlands, etc. See: Kreppel 2008; Hague and Harrop 2007: 336 (Figure 16.2)

A. Legislatures Parliamentary systems: UK

A. Legislatures parliamentary versus presidential systems: differences in type of relationship between executive and legislative. Presidential systems are characterized by: - An independent selection of executive branch and legislature - The absence of the ability to dissolve or remove the other from office (with the exception of incapacity or serious legal wrong- doing) Examples: USA, many new democracies in Latin America and Africa See: Kreppel 2008; Hague and Harrop 2007: 330 (Figure 16.1)

A. Legislatures Presidential systems: USA (Congress = Senate & House of Representatives) (US Senate, see below)

A. Legislatures The activities of legislatures can be put into the following categories: 1) Linkage and representation 2) Oversight and control 3) Policy-making Not the categories, but their importance differs between legislatures!

A. Legislatures Ad 1) Linkage and representation - Linkage of citizens to government, more effective - In single-member constituencies - When the executive is indirectly elected (i.e. in parliamentary systems) - Representation - Debating

A. Legislatures Ad 2) Oversight and control - Control of the executive branch - Budget control - Oversight over: budgetary implications, timely and accurate implementation Oversight instruments: - Question-time - Hearings / special inquiries - Investigative committees - Reports on special issues

A. Legislatures Ad 3) Policy-making: legislature as legislator different ways: - Consultation - Delay - Veto - Amendment - Initiation

B. parl. versus pres. systems parliamentary versus presidential systems: see slides 5 - 8, UK versus USA parliamentary versus presidential systems: differences in type of relationship between executive and legislative. But… in some parliamentary systems also presidents (Austria, Germany, India)  still parliamentary systems! See: Hague and Harrop 2007: 344 (box 16.7) And… existence of semi-presidential systems (France, Finland, some former French colonies (see for more information: Hague and Harrop 2007: )

B. parl. versus pres. systems Advantages presidential systems (cf Hague and Harrop 2007: 335): 1.Stability in executive 2.Popular election 3.Independence legislature 4.Separation of powers 5.National view

B. parl. versus pres. systems Disadvantages presidential systems (Hague & Harrop 2007: 335): 1.Danger of deadlock 2.Fixed terms of office  rigid 3.Waste of experience 4.Winner takes all 5.Public appeal is key 6.Concentration of power, dependent on one person, unrealistic expectations 7.Less chance of consolidation democracy, likely that presidents becomes a dictator

B. parl. versus pres. systems Disadvantages presidential systems

B. parl. versus pres. systems Disadvantages presidential systems

B. parl. versus pres. systems Disadvantages presidential systems

C. Back to Lijphart Lijphart’s executive-parties dimension (how easy is it for one party to take control of the government?): 1 st and 2 nd element: legislatures and executive power (see also second dimension of federalist-unitary systems) Lijphart: ‘Parliamentary systems perform best’ Country performs better, when executive has not too much power and is not too dominant compared to legislature. -Problem of dichotomy, again! -There is no a priori “best-type” of legislature (but differences in Efficiency, Representativeness, Quality of policy outputs)

D. Contents of Seminar week 15 Homework seminar week 15: 1)Read the required literature of week 14 2)Choose your country (see seminar week 13) and discover the strengths and weaknesses of Lijphart’s ideas. Write a report and prepare a presentation (around 5 minutes) (see handout!)