Latin America: Delegative Democracies or Concentrationist Presidentialism?

Abstract

Presidentialism is usually defined as a political regime based on the separation of powers, in contrast with the fusion of powers that distinguishes parliamentarianism. However, many presidential regimes are characterized by the concentration of power in the Executive branch rather than by the separation of powers, as in most Latin American cases. Called hyperpresidentialism or delegative democracy, this phenomenon is in the opposite of the original concept of presidentialism. This contradiction was not recognized until recently and still prominent politicians, citizens and analysts face difficulties in distinguishing between presidential systems and in understanding how it works. This confusion is damaging to democratic governance, generating uncertainty about the real power of the Executive branch and its relative capability vis-à-vis the other institutions of the system.