Read nothing into the order in which these publications are listed(!):

Robert Elgie, ‘Duverger, Semi-presidentialism and the Supposed French Archetype’, West European Politics, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 248 – 267.

Zeynep Somer-Topcu and Laron K. Williams, ‘Survival of the Fittest? Cabinet Duration in Postcommunist Europe’, Comparative Politics, vol. 40, no. 3, April 2008, pp. 313-329 – includes a test of whether governments in countries with semi-presidential constitutions last less long than countries with other systems: short answer, ‘no’.

T. Saalfield, ‘Institutions, Chance and Choices: The Dynamics of Cabinet Survival’, in Kaare Strøm, Wolfgang C. Müller and Torbjörn Bergman (eds.), Cabinets and Coalition Bargaining. The Democractic Life Cycle in Western Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 327-368 – includes a test of whether semi-presidentialism increases the risk of early elections: short answer, ‘yes’.

V.Ia. Gel’man, ‘From the Frying Pan into the Fire? The Dynamics of Post­Soviet Regimes in Comparative Perspective’, Sociological Research, vol. 47, no. 4, July–August 2008, pp. 6–41. Interesting narratives on Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

Katarzyna Metelska-Szaniawska, ‘Constitutions and economic reforms in transition: an empirical study’, Constitutional Political Economy, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 1-41.

Zenonas Norkus, ‘Carl Schmitt as a Resource for Democratic Consolidation Studies: The Case of the President’s Impeachment in Lithuania‘, East European Politics & Societies, vol. 22, no. 4, 2008, pp. 784-801.

Tanya Bagashka, ‘Invisible Politics: Institutional Incentives and Legislative Alignments in the Russian Duma, 1996–99’, Legislative Studies Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 3, 2008, pp. 415-444.

Asian Survey, vol. 49, no. 1, January/February 2009, A Survey of Asia in 2008, includes separate articles on developments in Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan.

Chris, M. A. Kwaja, ‘Do the people have faith in electoral democracy? Lessons from Kenyan 2007 presidential elections’, African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, vol. 3 , no. 2, February 2009, pp. 38-45.

Paula Cristina Roque, Angolan legislative elections: Analysing the MPLA’s triumph, www.iss.org.za/dynamic/administration/file_manager/file_links/SITREP160908.PDF?link_id=3&slink_id=6578&link_type=12&slink_type=13&tmpl_id=3