Presidents in the context of global crises: powers, electoral strategies, and domestic politics

Following in the steps of a series of successful sections at the ECPR General Conference, this section brings together panels and papers with the ambition of advancing theory and empirical research of direct relevance to research on the presidency. Previous sections for the ECPR General Conferences endorsed by the Standing Group on Presidential Politics have delved deep into institutional approaches to the presidency, examining such issues as presidential powers (both informal and constitutionally granted), president-parliament or intra-executive relations in presidential and semi-presidential systems, presidential parties and coalition building, or the president’s role in policy-making to name a few. This year, the section endorsed by the Standing Group on Presidential Politics proposes to examine these questions within the larger context of the effect of global crises on presidential leadership. Examples of such crises are the resurgence of armed conflicts (whether inter-States or between States and non-State entities), increasing attacks against democratic norms (insurrections, populist appeals, push-back against the EU foundational democratic values), or global public health emergencies to name most recent ones. To what extent have these crises affected the role and powers of presidents in their relations with domestic and external institutional actors, non-institutional entities, and the public? We welcome panel proposals on any of these dimensions. We seek to prioritize comparative approaches, but are open to single case studies as long as they are framed in a comparative framework. The section aims at maximum inclusivity, and wishes to include panels and papers from various methodological approaches, areas of study, cases from different types of presidencies (directly and indirectly elected presidents), and scholarship from both early career and senior scholars. Potential panel themes and chairs (this list is preliminary and subject to change): 1. Institutional Systems and Populism: Presidential and Semi-Presidential systems: Thriving Grounds for Populist Leadership? 2. Global Crises and Intra-Executive dynamics 3. Executive/Legislative Relations and Decision-Making under Stress 4. War at the door. Presidential Responses to Armed Conflict