Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the fact that the voluntary resignation of the head of state under the threat of impeachment can be seen as an attempt to evade responsibility. This, in turn, can negatively affect the stability of checks and balances. The author identifies the reasons that prompt heads of states to resign before impeachment, and also assesses the legal and political consequences of such actions.The circumstances of the voluntary resignation of Richard Nixon, Jacob Zuma and Fernando Collor de Mello are considered as examples. The author shows that the resignation of the president helps temporarily reducing public tension, preventing the escalation of political crises, and can even create precedents that allow government institutions to effectively counter abuses at the highest level. In addition, the voluntary resignation of a political leader from his post does not guarantee him full protection from legal liability: parliaments have the authority to complete impeachment even after the resignation of the president. At the same time, it is not always possible to hold heads of states fully legally accountable, which necessitates the development of effective legal mechanisms in this area.
Author: M. V. Tarutina
Language: English
Subfield: Law
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412103920