Since 1978, forty percent of elected presidents in South America have been challenged by civilian actors trying to force them to leave office early. Through impeachment and resignations, twenty three percent have fallen - and been replaced by civilians. It seems that challenged presidents were more likely to pursue neo-liberal policies, be personally implicated in scandal, and lack a congressional majority than their unchallenged counterparts. Among challenged presidents, the presence or absence of large street protests demanding they be removed from office is then crucial in determining their fates. These developments confound several core assumptions about presidential regimes: that presidential terms are firmly fixed, that populations cannot withdraw as well as grant presidential mandates, and that the consequences of political conflict in presidentialism are democratic breakdown.
Presidentialism; Street challenges; Electoral mandates; South America
