There are plenty of disadvantages. Presidents constantly have to balance different internal factions, generations and regions. They also have to be available for the media at all times. One blip, one mistake, may have serious consequences, not just for the president him or herself, but for the party as a whole.

Most presidents are elected by the parties’ members, a process that is always interesting. The way the election is conducted tells us how parties see themselves, how they look back on their past and what they expect from the future. Socialist president Caroline Gennez, for example, had to ward off comments about a lack of internal democracy. These had little to do with her own attitude – after all, she still had to elected – but more with the behaviour of her predecessors.

More than once, presidential elections were decided after one top party member – Bert Anciaux or Guy Verhofstadt, for instance – spoke out for their favourite candidate. Usually this candidate’s opponent won.

Groen! has recently elected a new president, the relatively unknown Wouter Van Besien. This election was interesting, too, as Van Besien turned out to be the only candidate. More prominent party members shied away from the position, mostly because they were afraid it would be too demanding on their personal lives. In this way, they lived out their party’s belief in lives that are not dominated by work alone.

Open VLD is also set for a presidential election. Its members get to choose between three candidates: Marino Keulen (former Flemish minister), Gwendolyn Rutten (former ministerial aide) and Alexander De Croo (son of former minister Herman De Croo). Open VLD is in bad shape: it has lost credibility with the voters, while the old generation of Verhofstadt and Karel De Gucht has moved on, leaving their party in disarray. The three candidates present themselves with two running mates each, thereby bridging the generations. Phew! That’s at least one problem solved for the future Open VLD president.