Mariana Llanos

Prof. Mariana Llanos is the Co-Leader (ad interim) of the GIGA Institute for Latin American Studies and an Associate Professor at the University of Erfurt, specializing in democratic institutions and Latin American political systems. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Oxford and has been a Research Associate at GIGA since 2006. Her work focuses on political accountability, presidentialism, and judicial-legislative dynamics, with notable projects on executive personalization and democratic resilience in the Global South.

• Affiliations: GIGA (since 2006), University of Erfurt (since 2021), Leibniz Professorship for Women.
• Education: PhD (University of Oxford), Master's (Instituto Torcuato Di Tella), Political Science (Universidad del Salvador).

Her research explores Latin American political institutions, including presidentialism, parliamentary dynamics, and judicial innovation. Key contributions include analyzing executive power during the pandemic and the impact of term limits on stability.

• Awards: Jewell-Loewenberg Prize (2022), APSA Founders Award (2015).
• Projects: 'Democratic Institutions in the Global South' (Leibniz Competition), 'COVID-19 and Executive Personalization' (DFG).

Llanos has advised on political reforms and co-edits the Journal of Politics in Latin America. Her work bridges academic research with policy impact, emphasizing institutional design for democratic resilience.