Difference Between Parliamentary and Presidential form of Government
There are two main types of government in the world: parliamentary and presidential. Parliamentary governments are more common, with about 160 countries in the world using this system. Presidential governments are less common, with about 40 countries in the world using this system.
Parliamentary Government
In a parliamentary government, the head of state is a monarch or president who is a largely ceremonial figure. The head of government is the prime minister, who is elected by the parliament. The parliament is the legislative body, and it is made up of elected representatives from the people. The prime minister and the cabinet, which is made up of the heads of the various government departments, are responsible to the parliament. If the parliament loses confidence in the prime minister, the prime minister must resign and a new prime minister must be elected.
Presidential Government
In a presidential government, the head of state and the head of government are the same person. The president is elected by the people, and he or she appoints the cabinet, which is made up of the heads of the various government departments. The president and the cabinet are not responsible to the parliament. The president can only be removed from office by impeachment.
Differences Between Parliamentary and Presidential Government
There are several key differences between parliamentary and presidential government.
Head of State
In a parliamentary government, the head of state is a monarch or president who is a largely ceremonial figure. The head of state does not have any real power, and his or her role is mostly to represent the country on ceremonial occasions. In a presidential government, the head of state is the president, who is the most powerful person in the country. The president has the power to veto laws, to appoint judges, and to command the armed forces.
Head of Government
In a parliamentary government, the head of government is the prime minister, who is elected by the parliament. The prime minister is the most powerful person in the country, and he or she is responsible for running the government. In a presidential government, the head of government is the president, who is also the head of state. The president is responsible for running the government, but he or she is not responsible to the parliament.
Legislature
In a parliamentary government, the legislature is the parliament, which is made up of elected representatives from the people. The parliament is responsible for making laws and for overseeing the government. In a presidential government, the legislature is the congress, which is made up of elected representatives from the people. The congress is responsible for making laws, but it is not responsible for overseeing the government.
Responsibility to the Legislature
In a parliamentary government, the prime minister and the cabinet are responsible to the parliament. If the parliament loses confidence in the prime minister, the prime minister must resign and a new prime minister must be elected. In a presidential government, the president is not responsible to the legislature. The president can only be removed from office by impeachment.
Impeachment
In a parliamentary government, there is no process for impeaching the prime minister. The prime minister can only be removed from office if the parliament loses confidence in him or her. In a presidential government, the president can be impeached by the congress. If the president is impeached, he or she is tried by the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court finds the president guilty, the president is removed from office.
Summary
There are several key differences between parliamentary and presidential government. In a parliamentary government, the head of state is a monarch or president who is a largely ceremonial figure. The head of government is the prime minister, who is elected by the parliament. The prime minister and the cabinet are responsible to the parliament. In a presidential government, the head of state and the head of government are the same person. The president is elected by the people, and he or she appoints the cabinet. The president and the cabinet are not responsible to the parliament. The president can only be removed from office by impeachment.