Semi-Presidential Policy-Making in Europe

This book explores how power-sharing between the president and the prime minister works in semi-presidential regimes. In contrast to much of the existing comparative work on semi-presidentialism, the book emphasizes the role of institutional coordination at the most concrete level of executive policy-making, and asks how institutional coordination between the president and prime minister influences presidential activism and the balance of power within the executive. The authors develop a tentative framework embedded in institutionalism and based on four strands of research - semi-presidentialism, public administration, political leadership, and foreign policy analysis - which is subsequently applied to the cases of Lithuania, Romania and Finland. Given the political challenges facing many semi-presidential countries, the study ultimately seeks to identify institutional solutions that facilitate power-sharing and successful policy-making.

Tapio Raunio is Professor of Political Science at Tampere University, Finland. His research interests include legislatures and political parties, the Europeanization of domestic politics, semi-presidentialism, and the Finnish political system. He has published articles in many leading journals, including European Journal of Political Research, Journal of Common Market Studies, Party Politics, Scandinavian Political Studies, and West European Politics.

Thomas Sedelius is Professor of Political Science at Dalarna University, Sweden. His research focuses on political institutions in new democracies and transitional regimes. His previous work on semi-presidentialism has appeared in leading journals such as British Journal of Political Science, Democratization, and Government and Opposition. In 2015, his article with Olga Mashtaler "Two Decades of Semi-Presidentialism" received the East European Politics Prize.

Auteur

Tapio Raunio is Professor of Political Science at Tampere University, Finland. His research interests include legislatures and political parties, the Europeanization of domestic politics, semi-presidentialism, and the Finnish political system. He has published articles in many leading journals, including European Journal of Political Research, Journal of Common Market Studies, Party Politics, Scandinavian Political Studies, and West European Politics. He is a Steering Committee Member of the ECPR Standing Group on Presidential Politics.

Thomas Sedelius is Professor of Political Science at Dalarna University, Sweden. His research focuses on political institutions in new democracies and transitional regimes. His previous work on semi-presidentialism has appeared in leading journals such as British Journal of Political Science, Democratization, and Government and Opposition. In 2015, his article with Olga Mashtaler Two Decades of Semi-Presidentialism received the East European Politics Prize. He is a Steering Committee Member of the ECPR Standing Group on Presidential Politics.

Contenu

1. Introduction1.1. Aim and research questions1.2. What is semi-presidentialism and what do we know about it?1.3. Why study executive coordination in semi-presidential regimes?1.4. Research design and data1.5. Outline of the book
2. Institutions, Coordination, and Leadership2.1. Institutional theory and policy coordination2.2. Semi-presidentialism and the challenge of cooperation2.3. Foreign policy and the challenge of leadership2.4. Theoretical framework and coordination mechanisms
3. The Semi-Presidential Cases in Comparative Context3.1. Semi-presidential regimes in Europe3.2. Presidential power3.3. President-cabinet conflict and cohabitation3.4. Public trust in the president and other institutions3.5. A comparative design with explorative ambitions
4. Formal Coordination Mechanisms4.1. Establishing variation between Finland, Lithuania and Romania4.2. Explaining the variation
5. Informal Avenues of Influence5.1. Finland: constrained presidency5.2. Lithuania: presidents stamping their authority5.3. Romania: when mediation goes too far5.4. Concluding discussion: 'where is it forbidden?'
6. Decision-Making in Foreign and Security Policies and EU Affairs6.1. Finland: establishing a logical division of labour6.2. Lithuania: presidential 'power grabs'6.3. Romania: president as the undisputed leader in foreign affairs6.4. Concluding reflections: consensus but potential for disputes
7. Conclusions7.1. Informal avenues and political leadership 7.2. Popular and dangerous presidents?