L'articulation des pouvoirs dans les democraties parlementaires europeennes: fusion et mitigation

In: Pouvoirs: revue française d'études constitutionelles et politiques, Issue 143, p. 123-140

Abstract

Even though it remains a celebrated myth today, the separation of powers does not exist as a univocal judicial principle operating in liberal and democratic constitutional systems. On the other hand, contemporary political regimes all rest on the constitutional principle of separate organs and junctions, whose articulation in various ways is a key feature of the system. All European parliamentary democracies are based on a broadly similar system of coexistence between two logics: one is the organic and junctional fusion of governmental powers (cabinet and parliament), the other is mitigation carried out through 'countervailing powers' outside of the cabinet-parliament couple. Adapted from the source document.