Difference in the Prime Minister and President

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Difference in the Prime Minister and President

In the UK there is a parliamentary system, where government governs in and through parliament. The party that has a majority of seats in the legislature forms the executive arm of government, and hence there is a ‘fusion of powers’, as the executive is drawn from parliament. In contrast, in the Presidential system, the legislature and head of the executive are both elected separately, and there is a clear separation of powers.

In comparing the executive, it is important to bear in mind that in the UK, many have labelled the system of government as an ‘elective dictatorship’. This is because strong prime ministers with a large majority tend to dominate parliament. For example, after a full seven years before Blair lost a major vote in the House of Commons. The government can control parliament through a variety of mechanisms how they can dominate the Commons and thus find it easy to pass their proposed legislation. They can dominate the commons through party loyalty, whips, patronage. Halisham has described the UK system of parliamentary government as an ‘elective dictatorship’.

The parliament due to such a strong link with the Prime Minister and his party means that he experiences loyalty when he proposed legislation. It is easy for the prime minister to get his proposed legislation passed due to the party loyalty, whips, patronage.

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Whip System-is used by the Prime Minister to maintain a party loyalty. British MP’s are faced with the threat of losing career prospect within government, temporary suspension, and hostility from colleagues and even an ultimate sanction of expulsion from the party. As a result, the whip is a vital tool for the PM. The PM’s power of patronage (ability to appoint/dismiss ministers). Members of parliament usually vote along party lines because they know that their careers depend to a large extent on their loyalty to the government and ultimately the Prime Minister. Hence forth, the Prime Minister usually finds proposed ...

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