Does Ulster still say ‘no’? Public opinion and the future of Northern Ireland

This chapter presents a set of reflections about the characteristics of electoral processes in the presidential republics of the three regions of Latin America, Africa and the ex-Soviet Union, which, together, form over four-fifths of the presidential republics of the contemporary world. The comparative study of electoral processes in presidential republics has still to begin in earnest. The research lacuna is understandable in the light of the fact that, outside of Latin America, so little could meaningfully be said about the electoral development of presidential republics in a context of single-party elections and various degrees of manipulation. Given that the whole institutional development of presidential republics in 'new' countries has depended on the characteristics of presidential rule. Especially on the rule of the founding presidents, the single most important issue was naturally whether leaders would emerge who were popular enough to carry the burden of legitimising the new polities.