Still mere figureheads? Why the Eurozone crisis has led to the growth of presidential power across Europe

Presidents are a relatively common feature in the political systems of European states, yet their powers vary substantially from country to country. Macdara Dwyer writes that while many presidents are intended to act largely as figureheads, with only limited responsibilities over government formation, the Eurozone crisis has led to a growth in presidential power in several states, including Greece, Ireland, Italy and Portugal. He argues that although this may be a temporary development brought on by a unique set of circumstances, the precedent that has been set for presidents to play a more active role in politics could nevertheless generate lasting problems for the stability of European governments.