Juan Linz on the Perils of Presidentialism

"In the final analysis, all regimes, however wisely designed, must depend for their preservation upon the support of society at large – its major forces, groups, and institutions. They rely, therefore, on a public consensus which recognizes as legitimate authority only that power which is acquired through lawful and democratic means. They depend also on the ability of their leaders to govern, to inspire trust, to respect the limits of their power, and to reach an adequate degree of consensus. Although these qualities are most needed in a presidential system, it is precisely there that they are most difficult to achieve. Heavy reliance on the personal qualities of a political leader – on the virtue of a statesman, if you will – is a risky course, for one never knows if such a man can be found to fill the presidential office."

Juan J. Linz. "The Perils of Presidentialism," Journal of Democracy, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Winter 1990), p. 69, available at https://www.ir101.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Linz-The-Perils-of-Presidentialism.pdf.