Strong presidents and weak institutions: populism in Turkey, Venezuela and Ecuador

Abstract

This article compares contemporary populism in Turkey, Venezuela and Ecuador from a cross-regional perspective. Through adopting a political definition of the concept based on the idea of domination, it provides an analysis of the three populist leaders Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Hugo Chávez and Rafael Correa along three interrelated dimensions: an anti-establishment image, a plebiscitary understanding of democracy and a Manichean worldview. These case studies show that in each country, a strong leader positions himself against the traditional establishment, cultivates direct linkages between himself and his followers and polarizes the political environment into two opposing camps. In addition to the discussion on populism, the article provides comparative insights into Turkey’s constitution-making process, the presidential system debate, and the 2016 military coup attempt.

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