Colin Murphy: For better or worse, here’s what could happen if our next president goes rogue

Colin Murphy: For better or worse, here’s what could happen if our next president goes rogue

An activist in the Áras could push the boundaries of this ‘ceremonial’ position to uncomfortable lengths

A supporter of Donald Trump holds a bust of as hundreds stormed the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. Photo: Getty

We describe our presidency as a ­“ceremonial” one. But that is based on a combination of constitutional constraints and convention. What if those conventions changed? What if an activist president, or an ­external crisis, challenged those limits and pushed the presidency into new ground?

Here are eight ways in which a president (or circumstances) could expand the role, for better or for worse.