Squaring Off: Executives and Legislatures in Ecuador

Abstract

Divided government has been virtually the norm in Ecuador since the demise of the last military regime in 1979, as a result of both historical experience and political institutions, particularly electoral rules. It appears in several forms thanks to these rules, which allow a mixed‐party presidential ticket, the survival of many small parties, and a small assembly. Relations between executive and legislature are best described as ‘muddling through’, with some presidential powers balanced by the legislature's powers of scrutiny and possible impeachment.

Political Parties and Government Coalitions in the Americas

“…The Ecuadorian PUR was created by Durán-Ballén as his personal electoral vehicle. He had been a member of the Partido Social Cristiano (PSC) for many years, and created the PUR in 1991 only after failing to win the nomination of the PSC (Barczak 2001). Soon after creating the party, Durán-Ballén fought with a relevant faction of his supporters, which led to a series of party expulsions and the draining of militants even before taking office.…”

Pengaruh Ketidakmayoritasan Partai Politik Kepala Daerah di DPRD (Divided Government) terhadap Keterlambatan Penetapan APBD

“…Diakui oleh Barczak (2001) bahwa formasi pemerintahan yang dikemukakannya terinspirasi oleh model divided government Laver dan Shepsle (1991). Letak perbedaan definisi, yaitu pada koalisi mayoritas, apakah masuk sebagai divided government atau unified government.…”

From“Parliamentarized”to“Pure” Presidentialism: Bolivia after October 2003

“…A number of social uprisings and military interventions drive home the point that Ecuador's democracy has at best only “muddled through” since the 1980s. In large measure, this is attributed to the weakness of Ecuadorian presidents, who regularly lack legislative majorities (Conaghan 1994; Barczak 2001). The result has been a series of confrontations between executives and legislatures, a propensity for presidents to appeal directly to the people and govern “over” the legislature, and other measures consistent with the Linzian view of presidentialism.…”