The Observatory of the Executive Power (OBPEX)
A research hub for comparative research on the executive power triangle
About OBPEX
The Observatory of the Executive Power (OBPEX) is a research hub dedicated to advancing our understanding of the executive power triangle. We bring together scholars and experts from around the world to examine how political regimes, cabinets, and civil services interact and shape governance
Through rigorous research, we aim to provide insights into the functioning of executive power in diverse political contexts. Our research endeavours cover a wide range of topics, including political institutions, policy processes, and public administration
Our Research Focus
Political Regimes
We analyse the structure and functioning of political regimes, examining how different systems of government shape the exercise of executive power
Cabinets
We investigate the composition and dynamics of cabinets, analysing their role in policy formation, implementation, and accountability
Civil Services
We explore the organisation and performance of civil services, examining their contributions to effective governance and public service delivery
Public Sector Management
We delve into the challenges and opportunities in managing public organisations, including issues of efficiency, accountability, and innovation
Current Projects
COST Project
Explores the dynamic relationship between executive politicians, top civil servants, and ministerial advisers
Enlace-Inserción UDP 2025
Examining how NLP and LLMs can shed light on cabinet responses to stochastic events in Latin American democracies
Recent Publications
González-Bustamante, B. (2025, forthcoming). Blame-Shifting in Presidential Systems: Corrective Effect of Ministerial Terminations on Approval. Public Opinion Quarterly.
Salazar-Morales, D. (2025, forthcoming). Competitive neopatrimonialism in Latin America. In C. Avellaneda, R. Bello-Gomez & N. Mendez (eds.), Elgar Encyclopedia of Latin American Politics.
Praça, S., Costanzo, D., Rodriguez, D., Guimarães, G., Nasser, J. P., & Rodrigues, R. V. (2025, forthcoming). Infrastructure and corruption: Rio de Janeiro's Metropolitan Arc. In B. Ames & J. V. Guedes-Neto (eds.), Inside Brazilian Bureaucracy: Politics and Policy Implementation in Brazilian States. Routledge.
González-Bustamante, B. (2025). Machine Learning and Political Events: Application of a Semi-supervised Approach to Produce a Dataset on Presidential Cabinets. Social Science Computer Review. OnlineFirst.
Salazar‐Morales, D., Pineda, P., & Lauriano, L. A. (2024). Governing schools in times of pandemic: A set‐theoretical analysis of the role of policy capacities in school closure. Governance, 37(4), 1433-1463.
Fleming, T. G., González-Bustamante, B., & Schleiter, P. (2024). Cabinet Reshuffles and Parliamentary No‑Confidence Motions. Government and Opposition, 59(4), 1274-1288.
