Global Comparative Politics 5 Luca Verzichelli University of

Global Comparative Politics (5) Luca Verzichelli University of Siena Master Program Public and Cultural Diplomacy (LM-81)

Latin America (FH 2016) The Americas are second only to W. Europe in levels of freedom and respect for human rights (69% of population in Free countries). Nonetheless, a rise in crime and in populist governments with authoritarian tendencies has led to backsliding in several countries. Parts of the region suffer from threats to freedom of the press, including violence against journalists, and infringements on freedoms of association and assembly. • • • Relevant case studies Mexico: still low level of political liberties. Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Rep. : partially free The case of Cuba Another difficult case: Venezuela Colombia, Equador, Bolivia, Paraguay

Features of the Brazilian political System • Presidential regime. President combines presidential and Chief Executive powers (i. e. emergency decrees) • Typical bicameral parliamentary structure • Strong federalism (but temperated by political conditions) • Autonomous Judiciary

Democratization in Latin America. A time line • Myth of the Presidential system: US political heritage and contagion effect • Myth of the (supra)national revolution: Bolivarismo and contagion effect • Role of military elites

Modes of Transition to democracy in Latin America (Karl 1990) There is no evidence of a «stable» mode of democracy. Most of the newly emergent civilian or militarized civilian regimes faced the problem of survivability. However, the pactismo seems to consolidate acceptable democratic relationships Other regimes have recently consolidated democratic institutions moving from military rules

Democracy in Africa today According to FH, only 5% of population in the MENA area in free regimes 12% of population in the Sub-Saharian Africa are in free regimes Failure of democratization in the MENA countries. Only exception: Tunisia. Senegal, Ghana and Benin: democratic stability Persistence of democratic conditions in the Southern area: Namibia, Botswana and South Africa

Spread of Presidentialism in Africa (Blondel 2015) • The majority of African states have approached the presidential model. Why? – US influence in large and federal states – Semi-presidential influence in post- French Colonies • 4 differences with the Latin american presidentialism: - More semi-presidential than presidential Different executives Nature of the leaderships: not caudillos but national founders Different role of bureacratic bodies and military elites • As a result. Similarity of institutional setting but very different impacts

Nigeria: difficult reconsolidation • A good proxy of the post-colonial transformation in Africa • Independence after the formation of national and pro. African movements (1960). • Different experiences of quasi-democracy and authoritarianisms (1970 s-1980 s) • New democratic transition (late 1990 s) with several stress tests (Obasanjio tempted coupe in 2007, Riots after the election of Goodluck Jonhatan in 2011). • Radical Islam presence (specially in the North)

Political Institutions in Nigeria • Presidential system with separation of power. Federalism • Independently elected president and a bicameral Federal National Assembly • Governors and single-house legislatures at the state level.

South Africa A Completely different process • Democratic conditions but «Western exceptionalism» (apharteid democracy) • A process of civil rights liberation leading to a predominant party • Charismatic leadership of Mandela

Political institutions in Africa • A presidential structure but «less presidential» than other Africal democracies • A non-completed Federal state: regionalism with strong administrative centralization • Traditional relevance of parliamentary coalition majority. After the death of Mandela, the first ANC single-party government • Bicameral structure with asimmetric powers