Category Archives: Cohabitation

Cohabitation

Cohabitation – Macedonia

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

Here is my list of cohabitations in Macedonia:

Nov 2002 – May 2004
President – Boris Trajkovski (VMRO-DPMNE); PM – Branko Crvenkovski (SDSM/ZMZ): Coalition – SDSM/ZMZ, DUI

Aug 2006 – April 2009
President – Branko Crvenkovski (SDSM/ZMZ); PM – Nikola Gruevski (VMRO-DPMNE); Coalition – Until July 2008 VMRO-DPMNE, DPA, NSDP, DOM; From July 2008-; VMRO-DPMNE, DUI

Source of party affiliations: http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Macedonia.htm

Party abbreviations:
VMRO-DPMNE: Vnatresna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizaija-Demokratska Partija na Makedonsjo Nacionalno Edinstvo (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party of Macedonian National Unity)
SDSM/ZMZ: Socijaldemokratska Partija na Makedonija (Social Democratic Party of Macedonia)/Za Makedonija Zaedno (Together for Macedonia)
DUI: Bashkimi Demokratik për Integrim/Demokratska Unija za Integracija (Democratic Union for Integration)
DPA: Partia Demokratike Shqiptare/Demokratska Partija na Albancite (Democratic Party of Albanians)
NSDP: Nova Socialdemokratska Partija (New Social-Democrat Party)

Cohabitation – Lithuania

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

Here is my list of cohabitations in Lithuania:

Nov 1996 – Feb 1998
President – Algirdas Brazauskas (LDDP); PM – Gediminas Vagnorius (TS-LK): Coalition – TS-LK, LKDP, LCS

Feb 2003 – Apr 2004
President – Rolandas Paksas (LLS/LLP); PM – Algirdas Brazauskas (LSDP); Coalition – LSDP, LDDP (merged with LSDP), LRS (part of Brazauskas electoral coalition), NU-SL

Source of party affiliations: www.worldstatesmen.org/Lithuania.htm

Party abbreviations:
LDDP: Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania
TS-LK: Homeland Union-Conservatives of Lithuania
LKDP: Lithuanian Christian-Democratic Party
LCS: Lithuania Centre Union
LSDP: Lithuanian Social Democratic Party
LRS: Union of Russians in Lithuania
NU-SL: New Union (Social Liberals)

Cohabitation – Iceland

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

There is a difficulty in the case of Iceland. Prior to his election in 1996, President Grímsson had represented the People’s Alliance. However, this party merged with other parties in 1998 to form the Social Democratic Alliance. What is more, some members refused to join the Social Democratic Alliance and formed the Left-Green Movement instead. Given the People’s Alliance no longer exists, that we do not know whether President Grímsson should be associated with the Social Democratic Alliance or the Left-Green Movement, and that the president styles himself as an independent, then I do not record cohabitations after 1998.

Here is my list of cohabitations in Iceland:

Aug 1952 – Sep 1953
President – Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (AF, Social Democrats); PM – Steingrímur Steinthórsson (FSF, Progressive party); Coalition – FSF (Progressive party), SSF (Independence Party)

Sep 1953 – Jul 1956
President – Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (AF, Social Democrats); PM – Ólafur Thors (SSF, Independence Party); ; Coalition – FSF (Progressive party), SSF (Independence Party)

Aug 1996 – 1998
President – Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (AP, People’s Alliance/SFK, Social Democratic Alliance); PM – Davíd Oddsson (SSF, Independence Party); Coalition – FSF (Progressive party), SSF (Independence Party)

Generally, there have been a lot of non-party presidents in Iceland. Plus, the Icelandic president, by convention, wields little power.

Cohabitation – Germany

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

Here is my list of cohabitations under Weimar:

Jun 1920 – May 1921
President – Friedrich Ebert (SPD); PM – Konstantin Fehrenbach (Z); Government – Z, DPP, DVP

Nov 1923 – May 1925
President – Friedrich Ebert (SPD); PM – Wilhelm Marx (Z); Government – Z, DDP, DVP, BVP (until June 1924)

I do not count the following as cohabitation because of the non-party PM, but note also:
22 Nov 1922 – 13 Aug 1923
President – Friedrich Ebert (SPD); PM – Wilhelm Cuno (non-party); Government – technocrats plus Z, DPP, DVP

Sources: wikipedia lists coalition partners under PM’s name.

Cohabitation – France

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

Here is the list for France:

March 1986 – May 1988
President – François Mitterrand (socialists); PM – Jacques Chirac (RPR); government – RPR, UDF

March 1993 – May 1995
President – François Mitterrand (socialists); PM – Edouard Balladur (RPR); government – RPR, UDF

June 1997 – May 2002
President – Jacques Chirac (RPR); PM – Lionel Jospin (socialists); government – socialists, communists, greens, left-radicals, citizens’ movement

Cohabitation – Finland

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

Here is my list of cohabitations in Finland:

Dec 1926 – Dec 1927
President – Lauri Kristian Relander (ML); PM – Väinö Alfred Tanner (SDP); Government – SDP

Dec 1928 – Aug 1929
President – Lauri Kristian Relander (ML); PM – Oskari Mantere (ED); Government – ED, KOK

Mar 1946 – Jul 1948
President – Juho Kusti Paasikivi (KOK); PM – Mauno Pekkala (SKDL); Government – SKDL, SFP, ML, SDP

Jul 1948 – Mar 1950
President – Juho Kusti Paasikivi (KOK); PM – Karl August Fagerholm (SDP); Government – SDP

Mar 1950 – Nov 1953
President – Juho Kusti Paasikivi (KOK); PM – Urho Kekkonen (ML); Government – ML, ED (until Sep 1951), SFP, SDP (Jan 1951-July 1953)

May 1954 – Oct 1954
President – Juho Kusti Paasikivi (KOK); PM – Ralf Johan Gustaf Törngren (SDP); Government – SFP, SDP, ML

Oct 1954 – Feb 1956
President – Juho Kusti Paasikivi (KOK); PM – Urho Kekkonen (ML); Government – ML, SDP

Feb 1972 – Sep 1972
President – Urho Kekkonen (ML/KESK); PM – Kustaa Rafael Paasio (SDP); Government – SDP

Apr 1991 – March 1994
President – Mauno Henrik Koivisto (SDP); PM – Esko Tapani Aho (KESK); Government – KESK, KOK, RKP/SFP, SKL

March 1994 – Apr 1995
President – Martti Ahtisaari (SDP); PM – Esko Tapani Aho (KESK); Government – KESK, KOK, RKP/SFP, SKL (to June 1994)

Apr 2007 – June 2011
President – Tarja Kaarina Halonen (SDP); PM – Matti Taneli Vanhanen (KESK); Government – KESK, RKP/SFP, VIHR

Parties:
ED – Kansallinen Edistyspuolue (National Progressive Party)
KESK – Suomen Keskusta (Finnish Centre Party)
KOK – Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party)
ML – Maalaisliitto (Farmers League – became KESK)
RKP – Ruotsalainen kansanpuolue (Finnish for Swedish People’s Party in Finland)
SDP – Suomen Sosialidemokraatinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party)
SFP – Svenska Folkpartiet i Finland (Swedish People’s Party in Finland)
SKDL – Suomen Kansan Demokraattinen Liitto (Finnish People’s Democratic League)
SKL – Suomen Kristillinen Liitto (Finnish Christian League)
VIHR – Vihreät (Greens)

Sources:
Cabinet composition:
1919-45 – Klaus Tornudd, ‘Composition of Cabinets in Finland 1917-1968’, Scandinavian Political Studies, vol. 4, issue 4A, 1969, pp. 58-70;
1945- Jaakko Nousianen, ‘Finland: The consolidation of Parliamentary Governance’, in W. C. Muller and Kaare Strøm (eds.), Coalition Governments in Western Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000, pp. 264-99.

List of presidents and PMs and their affiliations:
http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Finland.html

Cohabitation – Bulgaria

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

There have been four periods of cohabitation in Bulgaria:

Jan 1995 – Feb 1997:
President – Zhelyu Zhelev (SDS); PM – Zhan Vasilev Videnov (BSP); government – BSP, BZnS(AS), DE

July 2001 – Jan 2002
President – Petur Stoyanov (SDS); PM – Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski (NDSV); government – NDSV, DPS

Jan 2002 – Aug 2005:
President – Georgi Sedefchov Purvanov (BSP); PM – Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski (NDSV); government – NDSV, DPS

July 2009 – Jan 2012
President – Georgi Sedefchov Purvanov (BSP); PM – Boyko Borisov (GERB); government – GERB (minority)

Sources:

List of coalitions – http://www.terra.es/personal2/monolith/00europa.htm#bul
List of presidents – http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Bulgaria.html

As ever, any clarifications are welcome.

Cohabitation – Austria

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

There have been three periods of cohabitation in Austria:

April 1966-April 1970:
President – Franz Jonas (SPÖ); PM – Josef Klaus (ÖVP); government – ÖVP

Jul 1986-Jan 1987:
President – Kurt Waldheim (ÖVP); PM – Franz Vranitzky (SPÖ); government – SPÖ, FPÖ

July 2004-Jan 2007
President – Heinz Fischer (SPÖ); PM – Wolfgang Schüssel (ÖVP); government – ÖVP, FPÖ/BZÖ

Sources:

List of coalitions – http://www.bka.gv.at/site/5957/default.aspx
List of presidents – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Austria

Cohabitation – Ireland

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This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

Here is my list of cohabitations in Ireland:

Feb 1948 – Jun 1951
President – Sean T. O’Kelly (FF); PM – John A. Costello (FG); Coalition – FG, Labour, National Labour, Clann na Poblachta, Clann na Talmhan

Jun 1954 – Mar 1957
President – Sean T. O’Kelly (FF); PM – John A. Costello (FG); Coalition – FG, Labour, Clann na Talmhan

Mar 1973 – Jul 1977
Presidents – Erskine Childers (June 1973-Nov 1974), Cearbhall O Dalaigh (Dec 1974-Oct 1976), Patrick Hillery (from Dec 1976) all FF; PM – Liam Cosgrave (FG); Coalition – FG, Labour

Jun 1981 – Mar 1982
President – Patrick Hillery (FF); PM – Garret FitzGerald (FG); Coalition – FG, Labour

Dec 1982 – Mar 1987
President – Patrick Hillery (FF); PM – Garret FitzGerald (FG); Coalition – FG, Labour

Dec 1990 – Feb 1992
President – Mary Robinson (Lab); PM – Charles J. Haughey (FF); Coalition – FF, PD

Feb 1992 – Jan 1993
President – Mary Robinson (Lab); PM – Albert Reynolds (FF); Coalition – FF, PD

Jun 1997 – Sep 1997
President – Mary Robinson (Lab); PM – Bertie Ahern (FF); Coalition – FF, PD

March 2011 – November 2011
President – Mary McAleese (FF); PM – Enda Kenny (FG); Coalition – FG, Labour

Party abbreviations:
FF – Fianna Fáil
FG – Fine Gael
PD – Progressive Democrats