‘Prime ministers are already ‘presidential’, and are becoming more presidential’: examples of United Kingdom, Italy and France

Résumé du document

In most European countries, Prime ministers are the major figure of the political game. They have a wide interface, with the media (both at a national and international level), and with their population, even if they are never called the “head of states”. Many political scientists have asserted in recent years that the position has been turning into a ‘presidential' type of power. The term presidentialization itself is defined very differently in political literature. It can be seen as a “personalised leadership style”, or as the concentration of powers . Two main aspects have to be taken into account to define a presidential type of power: intra electoral components, such as the role of the Prime minister within his government and his relations toward the Parliament, or his international image; and electoral rules. To determine the causes of this phenomenon and its limits, I have chosen three countries: The United Kingdom, Italy and France.

Extraits

[...] was him in 1994 who personalised the political product, [people] no longer would vote for a party but for a face, Berlusconi's face.”[8] Prime ministers are also the interface of the country for the international community, which make them even more present in the media, with the development of international summits. Tony Blair for instance has a great international role, since he is also the one who makes the decision of declaring war. Recently, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has enhanced his international presence, by making the tittles of well known magazines such as Newsweek, and also speaking at the UN tribune in September, replacing President Chirac. French Prime ministers are also for few years more and more present in EU meetings, with or instead of the President. [...]

[...] The combination of these two factors defines a presidential type of power. The British Prime Minister for example dominates the Parliament and the cabinet, since he has the right to “select and dismiss members of cabinet will'”[12]; he is also the one who sets the agenda. Combined with the strong personality of Tony Blair, the British Cabinet is under the control of the Prime minister, and Peter Hennessy testifies that wants' is the most powerful phrase in Whitewall.”[13] To enhance his power, the British head of government enjoys the right to bring down the government and to call an election, as he is also the leader of the major party in Parliament. [...]

[...] In Italy, the second term of Berlusconi has proved that an Italian Prime minister can be powerful as his counterparts in the UK, Spain or Greece.”[28] This growing power of Prime Minister doesn't necessarily threat the democracy by concentrate huge powers in the same hands. “Political actors [are] invariably more aware of the constraints they face rather than the resources they enjoy.”[29] Despite the control they exercise over policy making, they still have to cope with certain obligations as well as with political and electoral demands. Bibliography Gallagher Michael, Laver, Michael and Mair, Peter executive” in Representative government in Modern Europe. New-York, Mac Graw-Hill. Helms, Ludger Presidents, Prime ministers and Chancellors: executive leadership in western democracies. [...]

[...] The Constitution gives the Prime minister the power to pass a law without debating it before in the Parliament, but this article 49-3 was not traditionally used. In nearly one year, Villepin used it three times to pass contested reforms, which illustrates the growing power of the French Prime Minister. The ability of the Prime Minister to set alternatives is directly directed to the veto players in one society. Tsebelis has defined veto players as “individual or collective actors whose agreement is necessary for a change in the status quo”[23]. [...]

[...] In Great Britain, Tony Blair is judged as the “most executive- dominant Prime Minister since 1945 ( ) with the possible exception of Margaret Thatcher.”[10] Hefferman states that, as the current Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown is also very powerful, this situation shows the effective presidentialization, as well as realisation in the form of an Inner Core Elite”[11]. Formal constitutional powers are central to the concept of presidentialization. In a country where the head of State has only very few and symbolic powers, the Prime Minister is de facto the main figure of political life. He can be more or less restrain by the constitution though, notably if the Parliament has strong constitutional or formal powers. His position in his cabinet is also a key point to determine his power. [...]