1. Today’s Topics Parties and Parliamentary vs. Presidential Institutions 1.Electoral systems’ effects on other political values. 2.Political parties. 3.Parliamentary vs. presidential government. 4.Arguments for & against presidential institutions.

2. Effects of Electoral Systems on Other Political Values 1.Accountability: Who can the public hold accountable for policies? Plurality system better.

3. Effects of Electoral Systems on Other Political Values 2.Effectiveness: How quickly and efficiently can governments make decisions? Plurality system better.

4. Effects of Electoral Systems on Other Political Values 3.Stability: How predictable is the government’s existence? Plurality system better?

5. Choices for New Democracies Electoral systems really a spectrum rather than sharply divided. Once a system is chosen, hard to change.

6. What is the best system for new democracies?  Pro-PR: In systems with a lot of divisions, PR can represent interests in a fair way.

7. What is the best system for new democracies?  Pro-PR: PR is a good way to encourage creation of political parties.

8. What is the best system for new democracies?  Pro-plurality: May be best to minimize societal divisions.

9. What is the best system for new democracies?  Pro-plurality: PR allows representation and encouragement of extremist groups.

10. What is the best system for new democracies?  Pro-plurality: Encourages majority governments and strong policy leadership.

11. Conclusion Best to have system that: –Has stable, efficient, majority governments? –Or more accurately represents diverse interests? Electoral systems have consequences – all depends on the values one prefers.

12. Political Parties

13. Why are political parties important in a representative democracy?

14. Ideal Functions of Political Parties (Schmitter) 1.Intermediary linking citizens and government. 2.Party platforms aggregate diverse interests into coherent public policies. 3.Party competition ensures accountability of rulers. 4.Parties needed for forming viable governments.

15. But how much do parties in established democracies fulfill these functions today?

16. A task for new democracies: Party Institutionalization (Mainwaring)

17. Party Institutionalization = Actors have clear and stable expectations about how others will behave.

18. Specific Aspects of Institutionalization 1.Stability in patterns of party competition. –Low electoral volatility.

19. Specific Aspects of Institutionalization 2.Parties have strong roots in society – party identification by voters. –Vote regularly for same party, express attachment to party.

20. Specific Aspects of Institutionalization 3.Major political actors accord legitimacy to parties. –Voters believe parties are good? –Anti-party politicians?

21. Specific Aspects of Institutionalization 4.Party organizations matter, not just certain leaders. –Mass membership, clear platforms, professional staff leading to voter loyalty.

22. Will institutionalization happen in new democracies? Relatively slow trajectory

23. Ways to encourage party institutionalization 1.Parliamentary government instead of presidential. 2.Simultaneous presidential and legislative elections. 3.PR electoral system.

24. Designing Executive Institutions

25. Branches of Government Executive – implement or “execute” laws Legislative – debate and pass laws Judicial – courts system

26. Presidential vs. Parliamentary Institutions

27. Parliamentary Government Parliament only democratically legitimate institution. Executive and legislative institutions basically fused. PM dependent on parliament confidence (usually).

28. Parliamentary Government Some variations: –Westminster model: e.g. Canada, Britain. PM & cabinet truly dependent on legislature confidence. –Consensus model: e.g. Switzerland, Belgium. Executive more sheltered from legislative approval.

29. Presidential Government Executive leader (president) has considerable constitutional powers. Directly elected by the people for fixed term. Parliament’s role only legislative: debating and passing laws.

30. Is presidential government good or bad for new democracies?

31. Pro-Presidential Case 1.Democratic: executive directly elected by the people. 2.Strong check on power of legislature.

32. Anti-Presidential Case 1.Anti-democratic implications: 1.“Aura” of power around president as a person. –E.g. Venezuela, Russia. 2.Where strong powers, heavy “winner- take-all” character (“hyperpresidencies”). 3.Where history of dictators, danger of corruption and antidemocratic behaviour.

33. Anti-Presidential Case 2.Weakens government effectiveness. 1.Legislative “deadlock.” 2.Discontinuity due to fixed term and power concentration. 3.“Lame-duck” syndrome.

34. How different are prime ministers from presidents? Isn’t a PM with party discipline & plurality just as powerful and irremovable as a president?

35. How different are prime ministers from presidents? Cabinet shuffling equally powerful in each system, but different.

36. Conclusion Certainly some dangers in too-strong presidencies. Next class: –Ways to mitigate presidential powers. –Is presidentialism the culprit? –New constitutions: explaining choices.