How does a Parliamentary system differ from a Presidential system?

by hughdepasquale (student)

There are many differences between a parliamentary government and a presidential system of government. The biggest difference is the principle of separation of powers; in a parliamentary system, the executive (the PM and/or the cabinet) is usually drawn from the legislature and/or is dependant on the legislature for its mandate (the legislature must have "confidence" in the government). In a presidential system the executive (the president and the cabinet) are totally separate from the legislature and are not dependant on the legislature for confidence.

Many forms of government are used by countries around the world, and very few governments are completely alike, even if they use the same type of system. Presidential and parliamentary systems of government can vary in specific details from one country to another, but certain general aspects typically are the same in countries that have the same type of system. For example, in some parliamentary systems, the national legislative body is called a parliament, and in others, it might be called by a term such as "national assembly," but they generally serve the same purposes, regardless of their names. Likewise, the specific powers or duties of presidents might vary from country to country, but they generally are all elected by the people and are separate from the legislative body.

In a parliamentary system there is a Head of Government (prime minister, premier, president of the council, president of the government, etc) who leads the government and a Head of State (President, Monarch) who usually has ceremonial but important functions; some of these functions include: dissolving the legislature, calling new elections (usually on the advice of the Head of government), appointing someone to form a government (Head of Government), bestow honors, and is usually the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces. In a Presidential System, the President fulfills both roles (Head of State and Head of Government).

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In a Parliamentary System, theoretically, an election can be called at any time but there is usually a maximum time that a legislature can sit (4 or 5 years). If the government loses the confidence of the legislature (if 50% +1 of the legislature votes against an important bill like the budget or if there is a motion of no confidence and 50%+1 vote against the government) then one of two things occur: (1) the cabinet is reshuffled sometimes with a new head of government (2) the head of government will ask the head of state to dissolve the legislature, triggering new elections. In a Presidential system, terms are fixed for the legislature and the executive. The legislature may only impeach the President (in the US) and even this does not ensure that the President resigns from office (ex: Bill Clinton).

The roles of head of state and head of government often are held by different people in a parliamentary system. For example, a country might have a prime minister who acts as its head of government and a monarch who acts as its head of state. Some countries that have a parliamentary system also have a president instead of a monarch, who acts as the head of state. A country that has both a prime minister and a president is sometimes said to have a semi-presidential system of government, although it is more closely related to a parliamentary system because of the power held by the legislature and prime minister in such a system

In a presidential system, the president is the head of government and the head of state. As the head of government, he or she oversees the operations of the government and fulfills certain duties, such as appointing officials and advisers to help run the government, signing or vetoing laws passed by the legislature and establishing an annual . A president's duties as head of state include tasks such as making speeches, representing the country at public events, hosting or visiting diplomats from other countries, and presenting prestigious national awards.

How does a Parliamentary system differ from a Presidential system?

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