Chap 15+16 Definitions

Question 1

Checks and balances

Answer 1

Mutual controls among institutions, especially the president, the chamber of congress and the judiciary (exec, leg, jud)

Question 2

Globalisation

Answer 2

In a semi-presidential regime, the president and the prime minister belong to different parties

Question 3

Deadlock

Answer 3

Legislative paralysis and inter institutional conflict

Question 4

Divided government

Answer 4

The president’s party does not have a majority in the assembly

Question 5

Parliamentary regime

Answer 5

Mutual dependence between the prime minister and the parliament

Question 6

President

Answer 6

Chief of state, which in some regimes also implies chief executive

Question 7

Presidential regime

Answer 7

Separate elections and powers between the presidency and the assembly

Question 8

Presidentialism

Answer 8

Executive dominance and high concentration of powers in the president

Question 9

Prime minister

Answer 9

Chief executive, also called president of the council of ministers, the president of government, chancellor

Question 10

Semi-presidential regimes

Answer 10

Dual executive between the elected president and the prime minister accountable to the assembly

Question 11

Unified regime

Answer 11

The president’s party has a majority of seats in the assembly

Question 12

Censure

Answer 12

The majority of parliament can overthrow the prime minister

Question 13

Confidence

Answer 13

The prime minister can check his or her own support in the assembly

Question 14

Deadlock interval

Answer 14

A set of stable policies located between the preferences of the president and those of the median legislator

Question 15

Dominant party

Answer 15

The largest party able to block any coalition and form a single-party minority cabinet

Question 16

Government

Answer 16

In its strict sense, the collective executive body, also called the cabinet

Question 17

Investiture

Answer 17

A requirement of majority voting in support of the prime minister in parliament

Question 18

Logrolling

Answer 18

The exchange of votes between different groups of legislators on different policy issues

Question 19

Median legislator

Answer 19

The pivotal actor able to attract a congressional majority in favour

Question 20

Minimal connected winning coalition

Answer 20

A coalition formed of parties located on contiguous positions along the policy-ideology space

Question 21

Minimum winning coalition

Answer 21

Majority coalition without superfluous partners

Question 22

Veto legislator

Answer 22

The pivotal actor able to either confirm or override the presidential veto