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Presidential Influence on Parliamentary Election Timing and the Electoral Fate of Prime Ministers

Morgan-Jones, Edward, Schleiter, Petra (2018) Presidential Influence on Parliamentary Election Timing and the Electoral Fate of Prime Ministers. Journal of Legislative Studies, 24 (2). pp. 211-226. ISSN 1357-2334. E-ISSN 1743-9337. (doi:10.1080/13572334.2018.1477273) (KAR id:64169)

Abstract

Most presidential heads of state in parliamentary and semi-presidential democracies have constitutional powers to influence early election calling. They can therefore affect under which conditions prime ministers are held accountable by the electorate. Do these presidents use their powers to shape the timing of early elections for partisan advantage and to influence the electoral performance of incumbent prime ministers? We examine this question using data from 193 elections in eighteen European democracies (1945-2013). Our results indicate that presidents use their dissolution powers to shape the frequency of early elections and to influence under which conditions elections occur, affecting the electoral success of prime ministers. Presidents with significant influence on the dissolution of parliament enable prime ministers of governments that include the president's party to realize a significant electoral bonus compared to governments that exclude the party of the president.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/13572334.2018.1477273
Uncontrolled keywords: Presidential heads of state, parliamentary dissolution, early elections, electoral accountability
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Politics and International Relations
Depositing User: Edward Morgan-Jones
Date Deposited: 30 Oct 2017 12:47 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Dec 2022 05:51 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/64169 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Morgan-Jones, Edward.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0231-5156
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