Presidents in public: strategies and sources of informal presidential power

Abstract

Recent research on the presidential politics (Raunio and Sedelius, 2020) brought into attention the informal channels through which the presidents – especially in the semi-presidential regimes – exert influence over politics. Presidents’ informal power covers a wide range of mechanisms, such as informal coordination of executive branches, going public tactics and use of presidential popularity, presidential speeches and informal influence over the political parties and other state institutions (f.e., security councils). In this panel, we strive to explore this previously understudied area of presidential politics, focusing on the presidential activism (and competition for political power) through the public channels (such as media, speeches) and also the reasons enabling such activism (foremost the popularity of presidents). We invite both the country case and comparative studies that will focus on any of the following questions. First, we welcome papers that analyze the strategies and means that presidents employ when attempting to establish themselves as influential actors in the public field. Second, studies in this panel could explore the motivations and factors that explain the intensity, success or failure of presidential activism in public. Lastly, as popularity is one of major pillars in the presidents’ informal power (especially under semi-presidential democracies), we also invite papers that analyze what factors help presidents to build and sustain popular support.

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