Örebro Studies in Political Science 43 I
ÖREBRO 2020 ÖREBRO STUDIES IN POLITICAL SCIENCE 43 2020JE
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jenny åberg (b. 1978) started her doctoral studies in political science at Örebro University in 2015. Her research examines the establishment of semi-presidential regimes and the impact of political elites, historical legacy and diffusion on this process. This is her doctoral dis-sertation.
One of the biggest constitutional decisions confronting a state is the nature of the relationship between the executive and legisla-ture. This relationship can take three forms: parliamentary, presidential, or semi-presidential. As the establishment of semi-presidential origins have only started to be seriously studied, this thesis aims to focus on semi-presidential regimes and to increase our knowledge of why and how they are established. Using a mixed methods approach, the results of the two large-N studies de-monstrate that the diffusion from abroad, the domestic legacies, and, to some extent, strategic elite bargaining are the key influences behind the formation of semi-presidential regimes. As the case study of the semi-presidential regime established in the Ukraine in 1996 shows, semi-presidential establishment is a complex process. In the conditions set by the post-communist legacy, it was a coercive Soviet decision that started the process. Its first phase was influ-enced by demonstration effects. The uncertainty about the future political situation in a country on the verge of independence meant that elite actors were particularly eager to set up a state that was guarded by a unifying and powerful president. The second phase of regime change was shaped by the strategic actions of the Ukrainian political elites.
By adopting a nested mixed methods approach, this study builds up a comprehensive understanding of the reasons and processes of regime type es-tablishment. The multi-levelled context from which semi-presidential regimes form suggests that there is no one single cause driving the decision-making process. These conclusions give us robust and verifiable knowledge of how and why semi-presidential regimes are established. This study shows how different types of international networks influence the choice of regime type and in so doing makes an important contribution to the field of diffusion studies. The study also emphasizes the need to include the wider perspective of the state’s historical and international contexts. Future studies may well look to test the application of these conclusions on parliamentary and presidential regimes.
issn 1650-1632 isbn 978-91-7529-345-5
