| Abstrakt: |
The article focuses on the newly studied format of government, the so-called coalitional presidentialism, with special emphasis on the Brazilian case. The author argues that the tradition of coalitional governments in this country contributes to the survival of extreme pluralism of party system which, in the first plan, it tries to overcome. After a brief overview of coalitional presidentialism in the Latin American regional context, where this pattern of government is rather common, he proceeds to the analysis of the Brazilian party system which is characterized as an extremely pluralist but with a low level of polarization. The author identifies poles established around two parties dominant on the left and right and a bloc of "volatile" parties which are able to make electoral and/or government coalition with both poles. The office-seeking character of these parties enables to make alliance regardless the policy orientation of respective government. Taking into account that these "volatile" parties belong to the best institutionalized ones in the Brazilian party system, we can conclude that the coalitional presidentialism is rather supportive to the existing structure of the party system in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
