Unbinding the Executive? Public Opinion and Presidential Accountability in Latin America
By: Brett R Bessen
Abstract:Ìý
In presidential democracies, public opinion is thought to constrain the executive through elections and protests. However, citizens' ability to make considered judgments about presidents and hold them accountable is unclear. I examine how citizens evaluate presidents in Latin America in three interrelated chapters. I first investigate how political conversation shapes citizens' candidate preference during presidents' regular time in office. Using panel data from Brazilian president Lula da Silva's first term, I find that political conversation with disagreeing partners induces preference change among presidential supporters and opposition supporters. Second, I analyze the effect of presidential discourse on public attitudes about measures that undermine checks on the executive.