Presidentialism and Hyper-Presidentialism in Latin America

Abstract

Latin America has traditionally been considered as ‘the land of presidentialism’. This seems to remain an indisputable fact, as most states in the region conform to the classic definition of this form of government: they have (i) directly elected executives with (ii) a fixed term of office. This chapter first attempts to define this ‘hyper-presidentialism’. It then reviews the pros and the cons of this ‘hyper-presidentialist’ model, both in terms of its stability and of its democratic legitimacy. The chapter concludes by putting forward an agenda for reform.