Vice-Presidency Within Constitutional Structures of Parliamentarianism and Semi-Presidentialism

Vice-Presidents exist mainly in the states adopting the presidential system o government. The overview of contemporary legal regulations proves, however, that the vice-presidency may also be found, though much less often, in the two remaining basic regimes, that is parliamentarianism and semi-presidentialism. The purpose of the article is to analyze constitutional provisions that relate to vice presidency in six countries in which one or the other of the two aforementioned systems was adopted. The author draws attention to the typical and specific features of this institution, arriving at the conclusion that its embedding in the systems of government other than the presidential one is not a factor that essentially distinguishes the construction of the vice-presidency from that occurring in a typical or modified (compared to the model known from the US) presidentialism.

Superpresidentialism as a System of Government

The classical typology distinguishes three models of sharing state power: parliamentarism, semi-presidentialism, and presidentialism. Distinctive features concern the position of main state organs and mutual relations between the legislature and executive bodies. The following paper argues in favor of enriching such classification by distinguishing superpresidentialism. It confirms that there is a group of political systems that do not fit traditional typology, combining some features of the semi-presidentialism and presidentialism. The core feature of the superpresidentialism is the domination of the President over the political system, its leading position in exercising power, control over the government, significant competences towards legislature and judiciary. The content of the superpresidentialism is discussed basing on the example of Central Asian republics.