presidential transition

More Than Good Elections: Ghana's Presidential Handover, 2007-2009

Author
Robert Joyce
Focus Area(s)
Country of Reform
Abstract

The January 2009 presidential transition in Ghana, the West African country’s second democratic transfer of power between opposing parties, was a significant step in the nation’s democracy. A contentious handover eight years earlier had widened political divisions and hindered policy continuity. In the aftermath, leaders in government and civil society tried to create new norms and practices that would ease transitions. Ahead of the December 2008 election, the Institute of Economic Affairs, a Ghanaian public policy think tank that promoted good governance, led major political parties in talks aimed at setting rules for the presidential transition process. At the same time, a policy unit in President John Kufuor’s administration worked separately to improve the government’s procedures for transferring power. Although a tight timeline and political complications prevented both groups from achieving all of their goals, their work helped ease Ghana’s political tensions and improved the quality of information exchanged between the outgoing and incoming governments. The new government, led by President John Atta Mills, benefited from improved transition reports prepared by civil servants and aides who had taken part in the Institute of Economic Affairs talks. The changes helped the new administration organize, identify priorities, and maintain focus on effective projects and programs.

Robert Joyce drafted this case study based on interviews conducted in Accra, Ghana, during July and August 2015. Case published in November 2015.

Mexico's Moment: The 2012 Presidential Transition

Author
Robert Joyce
Focus Area(s)
Country of Reform
Abstract

Mexico’s 2012 presidential transition tested the durability of the country’s democracy. Outgoing president Felipe Calderón ceded power to longtime political opponents. The new president, Enrique Peña Nieto, had to gather information on government programs, select a Cabinet and top aides, and set priorities—with no guarantee of significant cooperation from his predecessor’s administration. But to the surprise of some Mexicans, Calderón ordered his staff to cooperate by gathering and organizing information to brief their incoming counterparts. The process the two leaders put in place ensured an effective handover and helped pave the way for a landmark political deal early in Peña Nieto’s term. The 2012 transition, only the second between opposing parties in eight decades, followed steps other countries could find helpful for ensuring the continuity of core government functions during transfers of power.

 

Robert Joyce drafted this case study based on interviews conducted in Mexico City in April

2015. Case published in September, 2015.

José Luis Mendez

Ref Batch
M
Focus Area(s)
Ref Batch Number
12
Critical Tasks
Country of Reform
Interviewers
Robert Joyce
Name
José Luis Mendez
Interviewee's Position
Professor,
Interviewee's Organization
College of Mexico
Language
English
Place (Building/Street)
College of Mexico
Town/City
Mexico City
Country
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Abstract

In this interview, José Luis Mendez describes the Office of the Presidency’s changing roles under various Mexican presidents, from Vicente Fox to Enrique Peña Nieto. He explains how the office gained power under certain leaders, such as President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, but became less significant under others, including President Ernesto Zedillo. Mendez also applies the leadership models of competitive uncertainty and cooperative certainty to analyze and compare these administrations’ reform efforts. He also explains how Mexican civil service law has affected administrative restructuring. Finally, he discusses the transition to the Peña Nieto administration from President Felipe Calderón’s administration and notes its relative smoothness compared to the transition from Fox to Calderón.

Profile

At the time of this interview, José Luis Mendez was a professor in the College of Mexico’s International Affairs department. Previously, he had worked as the Chief of the Unit of Analysis of the Presidency in President Fox’s Office of the Presidency, where he oversaw the strategic analysis of policy issues and coordinated speechwriting for the President. He has published several articles regarding administrative reform in the Mexican government.

A Tense Handover: The 2010 Presidential Transition in the Philippines

Author
Robert Joyce
Focus Area(s)
Country of Reform
Abstract

In 2010, political tensions in the Philippines threatened a stable transfer of presidential power. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was at the end of her tenure when Benigno Aquino III, son of two national heroes, won election in May. During the campaign, Aquino had accused Arroyo of corruption and mismanagement. Animosity, lack of planning by the outgoing administration, poor government transparency, and a weak political party system created obstacles to an effective handover in a country with a recent history of instability. However, a dedicated corps of career civil servants, a small but significant degree of cooperation between the incoming and outgoing administrations, and thin but effective planning by the Aquino side allowed for a stable though bumpy transition. The handover highlighted the importance of institutionalizing the transition process to avoid conflict and facilitate uninterrupted governance.

 

Robert Joyce drafted this case study on the basis of interviews conducted in Manila during November 2014. Case published April 2015. 

Transferring Power in a Crisis: Presidential Transition in Chile, 2010

Author
Robert Joyce
Critical Tasks
Country of Reform
Abstract

In early 2010, Chile’s democracy faced a stern test. A January presidential runoff election had paved the way for the first hand-over between opposing political coalitions since Chileans had pushed out autocrat Augusto Pinochet in 1990. Two decades of rule by a left-leaning coalition of political parties called Concertación had obviated the need for any formal transition process from 1990 to 2010. Now, with the election of the first conservative leader since the dictatorship, politicians and civil servants on both sides had to find ways to ensure a smooth transition. The complicated process had just begun when a massive earthquake devastated Chile’s southern half, killing hundreds of people and causing damage equal to 17% of the country’s gross domestic product. Preparation, including policy planning and staff recruitment early on by the Sebastián Piñera administration and briefings from the outgoing Michelle Bachelet team enabled the new president to get to work quickly. The hand-over demonstrated the strength of Chile’s democracy and set a precedent for future cross-coalition transitions.

Robert Joyce drafted this case study based on interviews conducted in Santiago in August 2014. Case published in November 2014.

Associated Interview(s):  Edmundo Perez Yoma