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The government in two semi-presidential systems: France and Portugal in a comparative perspective

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French Politics Aims and scope

Abstract

France and Portugal have the same form of semi-presidential government. Even though the powers of their respective presidents and their political systems have been extensively investigated, the literature on the role of government operations is less comprehensive. This article analyses the organization of the government, focusing on how semi-presidential governments function and highlighting the recruitment and background of ministers, as well as the role of the president and prime minister. Semi-presidential governments function differently according to the degree of concordance between the presidential and the parliamentary majorities – in other words, whether or not there is cohabitation. The organization of government can be hierarchical or collegial, depending on the balance of power between the two heads of the executive.

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Notes

  1. Under the Sarkozy presidency, each minister can only talk for 2 min. The exception is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bernard Kouchner, who is allowed to talk for 15 min.

  2. In 1981, 70 of the 129 general managers of central administration were transferred or substituted, and at the same time, more than 50 per cent of ministerial executive managers were appointed .

  3. There exist two other General Secretariats under the responsibility of the PM: the National Defence (SGND), and the Interministerial Committee on European Economic Cooperation (SGCI).

  4. There were 7000 people during the Chirac presidency but only 50 under his direct control.

  5. Between 1991 and 1995, the cabinet was composed of 25 people, who tried to ‘defend’ the government from many political demands.

  6. Until 1987, it was the GATL (Gabinete de Apoio Técnico e Legislativo), then substituted by the CETAL (Centro de Estudos Técnico e Apoio Legislativo) jurists appointed by the PM. In 1992, it changed its denomination in CEJUR (Centro Juridico).

  7. Eanes’ first presidential bid in 1976 was supported by PS, PSD and CDS – all of which were parties that were in government subsequently. The only clear period of cohabitation under Eanes was from 1981 to 1983, when the government was led by PSD-CDS coalition that supported a rival presidential candidate in the 1980 presidential elections.

  8. Partido Renovador Democrático (Renewal Democratic Party). In the 1985 elections, it obtained 45 seats and 17.9 per cent of votes, but in 1987 it had only seven seats and 4.9 per cent of votes, and thus can be considered a ‘flash party’ (Morlino, 1995, p. 321).

  9. In 1994, the National Convention of the PS confirmed the leadership of Guterres, after the latter in 1992 had defeated Sampaio who was given the consolation prize of the party's presidential candidacy in 1996.

  10. The President's popularity has always been higher than the PM's, except in 1986.

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Jean Blondel for his invaluable comments on a preliminary version of the essay, which was presented at the 2009 IPSA World Congress held in Santiago, Chile. I had the fortune there to receive input from Carlos Huneeus and other participants on the panel. I thank Salvatore Vassallo for reading the first draft and providing thorough comments, as well as Piero Ignazi for important suggestions on method. I also thank Jean-Luis Thiébault for his insight into French government, as well as two anonymous referees for their comments. Finally, but certainly not the least, I thank Giancarlo Gasperoni, Erik Jones, Amy Hamblin, and Courtney McCarty for their dedication and cooperation. Still, only the author is accountable for content.

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  1. Dipartimento di Scienza Politica, University of Bologna, via dei Bersaglieri, 6/c, Bologna, 40125, Italy

    Gianluca Passarelli

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Passarelli, G. The government in two semi-presidential systems: France and Portugal in a comparative perspective. Fr Polit 8, 402–428 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1057/fp.2010.21

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