Presidential Politics, Democracy, and Geopolitical Tensions

Building on more than a decade of successful sections at the ECPR General Conferences, the 2026 section brings together panels and papers advancing theoretical and empirical understanding of presidential politics across democratic, hybrid, and authoritarian contexts. Endorsed by the Standing Group on Presidential Politics, this section invites state-of-the-art comparative research focusing on institutional, behavioral, and contextual dimensions of presidential power and leadership. We include contributions addressing topics such as presidential powers and behavior (formal and informal), executive–legislative and intra-executive relations, presidential parties and coalition-building, popular support and presidential legitimacy, and the presidency’s role in policy-making. The 2026 section particularly encourages papers and panels that explore these themes against the backdrop of democratic backsliding, autocratization, and geopolitical tensions. Presidents stand at the crossroads of domestic and international politics, especially in the sphere of foreign, security, and defense policy, domains where authority can be both concentrated, shared, and contested. We invite contributions that examine how presidents respond to these shifting contexts and how their actions shape regime trajectories. In times of insecurity, executives often expand their authority, weaken institutional checks, or rely on informal networks to sustain power, moves that may enhance and accelerate autocratization. Yet, presidential leadership under pressure can also bolster legitimacy and institutional resilience. The section prioritizes comparative approaches but also welcomes single-case and conceptual contributions that engage with cross-regional or theoretical debates. We aim for inclusivity in methodology, geography, and career stage, fostering dialogue between scholars of presidentialism, semi-presidentialism, parliamentarism, regime change, and comparative democratization.