Reviving Parliamentarism in an Era of Illiberal Executives

If liberal constitutional theory has long been preoccupied with the problem of concentrated executive power, it seems as if citizens in many constitutional democracies today do not worry themselves about such matters. This paper revisits concerns about the concentration of executive power, via both personalization and populism, with a view to reviving parliamentary accountability and responsibility. Reflecting upon the constitutional thought of Schmitt and Weber, and drawing upon a small set of country studies, the paper aims to revive a pluralist conception of parliamentary democracy where no one person, alone, governs.