Explores the effect of semi-presidentialism on newly-democratising countries. In recent years semi-presidentialism - the situation where a constitution makes provision for both a directly elected president and a prime minister who is responsible to the legislature - has become the regime type of choice for many countries.

Semi-Presidentialism and Democracy; R.Elgie , S.Moestrup & Y-S.Wu PART I: VARIETIES OF SEMI-PRESIDENTIALISM Semi-Presidentialism and Democracy: Institutional Choice, Performance and Evolution; R.Elgie The Study of Semi-Presidentialism: An Holistic Approach; Y-S.Wu PART II: THE PERFORMANCE OF SEMI-PRESIDENTIALISM: GENERAL AND REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES Overview of the Performance of Semi-Presidentialism; S.Moestrup Parliamentary Cohesion and Government Formation in Semi-Presidential Democracies; J-W.Lin Semi-Presidentialism in Western Europe; R.Elgie Semi-Presidentialism under Post-Communism; O.Protsyk Semi-Presidentialism and Democratic Development in East Asia; B.Reilly Semi-Presidentialism in Africa; Patterns and Trends; S.Moestrup PART III: THE PERFORMANCE OF SEMI-PRESIDENTIALISM: COUNTRY PERSPECTIVES The President as a Backseat Driver: Portugal's Evolving Semi-Presidentialism; C.Jalali Taiwan: Democratic Consolidation under Presidential Supremacy; Y-S.Wu & J-H.Tsai Semi-Presidentialism and Parliamentary Oligarchy in Post-Orange Ukraine; K.Matsuzato Moldova's Transition from Semi-Presidentialism: Parliamentary Intentions, Presidential Outcome; W.Crowther Semi-Presidentialism in the Weimar Republic: A Failed Attempt at Democracy; Y-C.Shen Semi-Presidentialism and Democracy: What Have we Learnt?; R.Elgie