The Primacy of Experts? Non-partisan Ministers in Portuguese Democracy

Abstract

Portuguese democracy is a relevant case for comparison, because expert and non-partisan ministers (usually described as ‘the independents’) are to be found in large numbers. This chapter investigates the determinants of this pattern of ministerial recruitment and, in assessing the main hypothesis postulated in the literature, operationalizes the analytical distinction between politicians and experts, establishing their number and evolution over time, and sketches a tentative profile of both ministerial types, highlighting and contrasting a few significant differences. The composition of Portuguese democratic cabinets confirms the hypothesis that the semi-presidential regime and the prominence attributed to expert and non-partisan ministers are positively correlated. Also, it should be emphasized that their number has remained very high even after the significant reduction of presidential power. Their widespread presence, although in varied proportions, in different types of party governments (single-party and coalition, majority and minority), both from centre-left and centre-right, clearly indicates that their contribution is highly valued as a means of increasing both technical competence and political legitimacy.