Mode of Election or Powers? Presidents and Regime Types in Central Europe

Abstract

The mode of election of the president has become a key feature in classifying the various types of democratic regimes. The insistence on the mode of election has led to a number of misconceptions, especially so when it comes to Central Europe. On the basis of a conceptual analysis of parliamentarism and semi-presidentialism, empirical and comparative research, using both institutional and behavioral perspectives, papers in this panel tackle with the question whether presidential powers or the mode of the election of the president are crucial for 1) the functioning of the regimes (i.e. actual constitutional practice) and 2) their classification into distinctive regime types. In line with this, this panel scrutinizes Central Europe, focusing on both the formal and informal positions of the directly elected presidents of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. Individual papers analyze the presidencies in the context of their interaction with other constitutional players, especially cabinets (incl. prime ministers), parliaments and political parties.