Parliamentary and Presidential Systems

A Comparison

Parliamentary Systems Only one elected body: a parliament of representatives.

Its bills are law. Executive power is housed in a cabinet. Cabinet members

typically are MPs who perform executive duties (foreign relations, etc.) in addition to their legislative duties.

Cabinet only serves as long as there is parliamentary confidence. A “Vote of Confidence” can be called at any time, and a majority vote can unseat the existing cabinet (“government falling”) and call for a new one to be formed.

But the cabinet can also hold the parliament in check. The leader of the cabinet (Prime minister, premiere, etc.) can disband a parliament and call for new elections.

Advantages/Disadvantages of Parliamentary Systems Advantages:

Always unified government Greater party discipline No veto power and typically no judicial review Clear lines of responsibility –voters know who to

blame/reward Disadvantages:

Divided government may be a good thing Judicial review and veto power are important Minority rights get washed away What if there’s no clear majority? Then coalition governments

must be formed between the main parties, and cabinet positions are divvied up accordingly.

Committees Nonparliamentary systems are committee dominated

–they have the power, and they can easily obstruct the work of government.

Strong committees in a parliamentary system would weaken central unity –Strong leadership is important to parl. Systems.

Consequently, in Britain, for example, there are no standing committees per se, but ad hoc committees for each bill. No permanent staff and no open hearings, etc The parliament itself tries to maintain the open spirit of

debate.

Presidential SystemsThe key distinction is the Separation of

Powers Separation of Powers Doctrine and Checks

and Balances…Secondly –and related to the first point,

above– there are differences in party systems/structures/politics/elections

Key differences between Presidential and Parliamentary Systems Compared

Policy leadership > with presidential systems, but...

Responsibility for policy more difficult to identify with presidential systems.

Comprehensive policies harder to accomplish in presidential systems.

Differences in recruitment of leaders. Differences in review/control of executive

leaders. Symbolic/political aspects.