Differences between the Presidential and Parliamentary systems

A nation’s type of government refers to how that state’s executive, legislative, and judicial organs are organized. All nations need some sort of government to avoid anarchy. Democratic governments are those that permit the nation’s citizens to manage their government either directly or through elected representatives. This is opposed to authoritarian governments that limit or prohibit the direct participation of its citizens. Two of the most popular types of democratic governments are the presidential and parliamentary systems. The most striking difference between presidential and parliamentary system is in the election of the chief executive.

I.            Parliamentary system

 

Parliamentary system is a type of democratic government that is used in many countries such as, Australia, the Great Britain, Cambodia, and so on. In parliamentary system, the head of government, the Prime Minister, is a member of parliament elected by other members of parliament. This characteristic means that the prime minister is responsible to the other members of parliament and through the voters. The Election in the Parliamentary system focuses on 3 stages:

• Stage 1: Voters elect Parties or representatives from political parties. 

The government as a whole is not directly elected by the voters but is appointed indirectly amongst the representatives whom they elect to the assembly. In addition, majority parties in parliamentary systems are perceived by voters to have a mandate to run the country. Therefore, each party may develop a system of punishments and rewards. Individual members of the legislature who deviate from a party vote may be punished by exclusion from their party within parliament or may not be nominated by the party in the subsequent election. 

 

Similarly, opposition parties theoretically want to maximize their power in a system dominated by the majority by voting as a block and squelching internal dissent. Opposition party discipline is more likely if the party or parties perceive that they can eventually gain the majority. Consequently, for both majority and minority parties in parliament, important policy decisions are made within party structures, such as party caucuses, rather than within the legislature itself. Obviously, it is not possible for the legislature and executive to be controlled by different parties in a parliamentary system. 

• Stage 2: Coalition (all members of parliament) elects and ousts the Prime Minister. 

The Prime Minister is the leader of the party that wins the majority of votes to the legislature (either de facto, or in some cases through an election held by the legislature). The Prime Minister appoints Cabinet Ministers. These members are typically themselves legislative members from the ruling party or ruling coalition. Thus, in a parliamentary system, the constituency of the executive and legislature are the same. If the ruling party is voted out of the legislature, the executive also changes. Continued co-operation between the executive and legislature is required for the government to survive and to be effective in carrying out its programs. 

 

In a parliamentary system, the Prime Minister can be removed from office in two ways. The first is through a ‘no-confidence’ motion, which is typically filed by the opposition or a coalition of opposition parties. If the vote passes by a majority, the Executive, including the Prime Minister, is forced to step down. Since the Prime Minister and his cabinet of ministers are members of the legislature, this brings about new legislative elections. However, the Prime Minister can be removed by his/her own party members, in a setting outside of the legislature. For example, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was removed by party vote and replaced by John Major during the Conservative Party caucus. Such a removal, whereby the party decides to change its leader, does not force legislative elections. 

 

In a parliamentary system, a majority win by a given political party also gives the party control of the executive branch of government: the head of the winning party becomes the Prime Minister (chief executive), with party members being appointed to the cabinet.

• Stage 3: Cabinet guides ministries 

The term parliamentary system does not mean that a country is ruled by different parties in coalition with each other. Such multi-party arrangements are usually the product of a voting system known as proportional representation. The executive is typically a cabinet, and headed by a prime minister who is considered the head of government. The prime minister and the ministers of the cabinet typically have their background in the parliament and may remain members thereof while serving in cabinet. The leader of the leading party or group of parties, in the parliament is often appointed as the prime minister. 

 

In parliamentary systems the prime minister becomes the dominant figure because of his or her status as legislative party leader and the majority party’s control of both legislative and executive branches. The majority party, led by the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers, meets to establish policy, while the opposition parties meet to plan strategy and expose weaknesses in the majority party’s policy plans. The chief executive and his/her cabinet initiate any piece of legislation affecting the budget or revenue.

 

II.            Presidential system

 

Parliamentary system is another type of democratic government that is used in many countries such as, the United States, Philippines, Indonesia, and so on. In a presidential system, the President (who is the chief executive as well as the symbolic head of government) is chosen by a separate election from that of the legislature.  The Election in the Presidential system also focuses on 3 stages:

 

• Stage 1: Voters elect Parliament.

In a presidential system, the chief executive and members of the legislature are elected separately by the people. Parties play an important role in determining the leadership of legislative institutions. In the US and some other presidential system, the presiding officer of the lower house, The Speaker, is also the leader of the majority party. (In the Philippines, it is the President of the Senate, or upper house, which plays a role similar to that of the US Speaker.) He or she is nominated by the majority party and then elected by the whole chamber.

The presidential system is different in that the president is directly elected by the people and thus directly responsible to them. In the U.S. the president must work with Congress to run the government but Congress does not have the power to vote him into his position or remove him through a vote of no confidence as in the parliamentary system. 

• Stage 2: Voters elect President.

The President is both the chief executive and the head of state. The President is unique in that he or she is elected independently of the legislature. In the American presidential system, the legislature must debate and pass various bills. The President has the power to veto the bill, preventing its adoption. However, the legislature may override the President's veto if they can muster enough votes. The American President's broadest powers rest in foreign affairs. The President has the right to deploy the military in most situations, but does not have the right to officially declare war. The presidential system provides for a Chief Executive who is elected for a definite term of office, who holds a wide public mandate as a result of his election, and who is largely independent of the legislative branch for the conduct of his administration.

• Stage 3: President chooses cabinet and cabinet guides ministries.

The President then appoints his or her cabinet of ministers (or "secretaries" in US parlance). Ministers/Secretaries usually are not simultaneously members of the legislature, although their appointment may require the advice and consent of the legislative branch. Because the senior officials of the executive branch are separately elected or appointed, the presidential political system is characterized by a separation of powers, wherein the executive and legislative branches are independent of one another. Presidents have great control over their cabinet appointees who serve at the President’s pleasure.

In a presidential system, the president is the head of government and the head of state. As the head of government, he or she oversees the operations of the government and fulfills certain duties, such as appointing officials and advisers to help run the government, signing or vetoing laws passed by the legislature and establishing an annual budget. A president's duties as head of state include tasks such as making speeches, representing the country at public events, hosting or visiting diplomats from other countries, and presenting prestigious national awards.

Conclusion

The most striking difference between presidential and parliamentary system is in the election of the chief executive. In parliament systems, the executive is not chosen by the people but by the legislature. Typically the majority party in the parliament chooses the chief executive, known as the Prime Minister. However, in some parliaments there are so many parties represented that none hold a majority. Parliament members must decide among themselves whom to elect as Prime Minister. The fusion of the legislative and executive branches in the parliamentary system tends to lead to more discipline among political party members. Party members in parliaments almost always vote strictly alone party lines. Presidential systems, on the contrary, are less disciplined and legislators are free to vote their conscious with fewer repercussions from their party.