Conclusion

Abstract

In the immediate aftermath of the presidential and legislative elections, the results appeared remarkably coherent with the expected progression of the four ballots. In the face of a deeply unpopular right-wing President and a country experiencing a significant deterioration of its economic position, the opposing left-wing candidate was elected by a clear majority, and went on to secure a strong legislative majority to support his government. The homogeneous bicephalous executive, which the Right had enjoyed for a decade since 2002, had now alternated. On the extremes of the political landscape, the social and economic problems which neither Left nor Right had successfully addressed had given two radical presidential candidates significant shares of the vote, and in both cases their potential blackmail of the moderate parties had drawn votes away from the centre as clear ideological alternatives were put before voters.