Constitutional parliamentarism in Europe, 1800–2019

Bibliographic Data

ID8041836
AuthorsJosé Antônio Cheibub (0000-0001-9732-4922, Texas A&M University, corresponding author), Bjørn Erik Rasch (0000-0002-1410-3591, University of Oslo)
Year2021
Volume45
Issue3
Pages470-501
Publication date2021-02-09
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402382.2020.1870841
OpenAlexW3132739113
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited35

This paper analyses the institutions associated with government termination in parliamentary systems: no-confidence and confidence motions, and the early dissolution of the parliament. We consider constitutional texts for all European countries between 1800 and 2019 and identify two broad trends: (1) the constitutionalisation of practices that have first emerged as the result of strategic interactions between the government and the parliament; (2) the tendency towards protecting both the executive and the parliament from mutual interference. While the first tendency has culminated with an almost universal constitutionalisation of the principle of parliamentarism in European constitutions, the second led to the protection of executives and the extension of effective legislative terms. We suggest that these constitutional developments are associated with the stabilisation of parliamentarism after World War II and conclude that although parliamentarism remains a flexible system, contemporary regimes do not function like their forebears did in the 19th century

Function (biology · Government (linguistics · Law and economics · Legislature · Parliament · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Judicial and Constitutional Studies · Law · Philosophy · Populism, Right-Wing Movements

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