Executives (Presidential and parliamentary systems) Flashcards
What is the separation of power
- different branches of government
- executive, legislature and judiciary
How can the executive be defined
through two main powers
- leadership and management
What are ways that the executive can be chosen
- directly elected (EG: Brazil)
- elected by a special college (EG: USA)
- indirectly elected by a parliament (EG: Germany)
How can the head of the executive be removed
- impeached by a court
- vote of no confidence
- removed by a political party
How are cabinet ministers appointed or removed
- by the president/prime minister
- by parliament/congress
How are powers dealt with in a presidential system
separation of powers
What does separation of powers mean for the executive
- president appoints the Cabinet
- president and cabinet cannot be removed by legislature
- president and cabinet cannot dissolve legislature
How are powers dealt with in a parliamentary system
fusion of powers
What does a fusion of powers mean for the executive
- PM appointed by monarch/head of state
- PM appoints cabinet
- PM and cabinet can be removed by legislature (vote of no confidence)
- some cases can dissolve parliament -> new elections
How are powers dealt with in a semi-presidential system
partial separation of powers
What do partial separation of powers mean for the executive
- president appoints PM, but PM appoints cabinet
- PM and cabinet can be removed by either the president or the legislature
- president can dissolve the legislature -> new elections
what is the ‘perils of presidentialism’
five problems of presidentialism according to Linz
what are the 5 problems of presidentialism
- executive and legislature have competing claims to legitimacy
- fixed terms of office make presidential regimes more rigid than parliamentary
- presidentialism encourages a winner-takes-all outcome
- style of presidential politics encourages presidents to be intolerant of political opposition
- presidentialism encourages populist candidates
