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

Highlighted Projects

COST Project

Explores the dynamic relationship between executive politicians, top civil servants, and ministerial advisers

Enlace-Inserción UDP 2025-26

Examining how NLP and LLMs can shed light on cabinet responses to stochastic events in Latin American democracies

Recent Publications

González-Bustamante, B. (2026). Blame-Shifting in Presidential Systems: Corrective Effect of Ministerial Terminations on Approval. Public Opinion Quarterly, 90(1), 96-117.

González-Bustamante, B. (2026). Machine Learning and Political Events: Application of a Semi-supervised Approach to Produce a Dataset on Presidential Cabinets. Social Science Computer Review, 44(2), 245-258.

Vetulani-Cęgiel, A., & De Medeiros Albrecht, N. F. M. (2026). New venue for new policy and actors? Tracing participation and debate on digital copyright and emerging technologies in WIPO and WTO. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 1-34.

De Medeiros Albrecht, N. F. M., & Rozbicka, P. (2025). Lobbying and Advocacy Beyond the North: a bibliometric exploration of the Internation Scholarship on the Global South. Revista Agenda Política, 12(3), 101-123.

De Medeiros Albrecht, N. F. M., & Ribeiro, P. F. (2025). Appointments to Public Office in Brazil: A Comparative Study of the Federal Executive’s Ministries of Agriculture and Culture (2011-2021). Revista Brasileira de Ciência Política, 44, 1-35.