Premium
Comparative presidencies: The inadequacy of the presidential, semi‐presidential and parliamentary distinction
Author(s) -
SIAROFF ALAN
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
european journal of political research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.267
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1475-6765
pISSN - 0304-4130
DOI - 10.1111/1475-6765.00084
Subject(s) - presidential system , political science , politics , dominance (genetics) , government (linguistics) , public administration , prime minister , political economy , law , sociology , biochemistry , chemistry , linguistics , philosophy , gene
. The role of the president is presumed to vary amongst presidential, semi‐presidential and parliamentary systems. However, there are a variety of subtypes within semi‐presidential systems. Debate often hinges on the prime minister and government, and to whom they are more accountable. However, the accountability of prime ministers and governments to presidents can be rather ‘fuzzy’. This article looks through the prism of the president rather than that of the government. After examining definitions of presidential, parliamentary and semi‐presidential systems, several dispositional categories of political regimes will be established. Then presidential power will be assessed through a series of dichotomous measures, and for all electoral democracies with a president. Finally, the character of each category will be assessed. The concept of ‘semi‐presidentialism’ is rejected in favour of more meaningful labels: presidential systems, parliamentary systems with presidential dominance, parliamentary systems with a presidential corrective and parliamentary systems with figurehead presidents.