The parliamentary system Flashcards
What is the fusion of powers?
The intermingling of personnel in the legislative and executive branches found in parliamentary system
What is the head of state?
The chief pubic representative of a country, such as a monarch or president
What is a constitutional monarchy?
A form of monarchy in which the monarch is head of state but in which powers are exercised by parliament and ministers
Define separation of powers
The principle that the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government should be independent of one another
State the 5 key feature of a parliamentary system
- The executive and legislature branches are fused
- The legislature can dismiss the executive
- Parliamentary elections can decide the government
- Collective government
- Separate head of state
What does it mean for the executive and legislature to be fused?
The is a fusion of powers due to an overlap in membership of the two branches, with the government consisting of members of the legislature
How can the legislature dismiss the executive?
The government is accountable to parliament, which can remove the government through a vote of confidence. The government can dissolve parliament by calling a general election
How do parliamentary elections decide the government?
Governments are formed according to party strength in parliament. The person who commands a parliamentary majority usually the leader of the largest party, becomes the PM
Explain the idea of collective government
The executive is led by a PM who chairs a cabinet of senior ministers. Collective responsibility requires ministers to support government policy once it has been agreed
Explain the idea of a separate head of state
The head of the executive branch is not the head of state. This is because the UK is a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch is head of state. The modern monarchy has a primarily ceremonial role but does retain prerogative powers such as choosing the PM and assenting to acts of parliament
What is the main alternative to the parliamentary system?
Presidential government
What makes presidential government different from the parliamentary system?
There is a clear separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, with the executive branch dominated by a single president who is elected by the people
Where is executive power concentrated in a presidential government?
In the office of the president
Can the legislature dismiss the president?
Only under special circumstances
What can the executive not do under a system of presidential government?
Dissolve the legislature
