PRESIDENTIAL VS. PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT

How often have you heard or read about the need for a third political party in order to break the strangle hold that the two party system has on American politics. With that in mind and knowing full well that could not happen would a change to a parliamentary form of government from the presidential more readily foster the breakup of the two party system. And be more responsive to the wishes of the American electorate.

Note: I am not advocating a change. I am just wondering aloud.



PRESIDENTIAL VS. PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT
Presidential System Parliamentary System
1.The head of government is selected independently of the legislature.
Every political system has a head of government. The position of head of government is the office that has effective executive, governing power.

In presidential systems, the title of the head of government is usually "President".

The American president is selected independently of Congress. The American president is selected by the Electoral College, which is a group of people different from Congress.
1.The head of government is selected by the legislature.




In parliamentary systems, the title of the head of government is usually "Prime Minister".

The prime minister is selected by parliament. The person selected as prime minister is almost always the leader of the majority party in parliament.

2.The head of government serves a fixed term of office.
It is fixed in two senses. First, there is a definite length to the term of office. Second, there are definite, fixed starting and finishing points to the term of office.

The American president's term of office is four years. The term of office begins at noon on January 20 and ends four years later at noon on January 20.
2.The head of government serves an indefinite term of office.
It is indefinite in two sense. First, there is no definte length to the term of office. Second, there are no definite, fixed starting and finishing points.

A prime minister stays in office as long as he or she continues to have majority support in the legislature. If the prime minister loses majority support, then he or she must resign.

In parliamentary systems, this gives rise to two practices, which do not exist in presidential systems: early elections and votes of confidence.

Early elections are elections which are held earlier than scheduled. The Prime Minister can call for early elections. The results of these elections will determine who the majority party in parliament will be.

A vote of confidence is a vote taken among the members of parliament to determine if the prime minister continues to have majority support in the legislature. If the prime minister wins a vote of confidence, this means he/she continues to have majority support and can continue to govern. If the prime minister loses a vote of confidence , this means he/she has lost majority support. He/she must resign and, in most cases, new parliamentary elections will be held to determine who the new majority party will be.

3. There is separation of powers among the branches of government.
Separation of powers is designed to build conflict into the system to prevent concentration of power and governmental tyranny.

There are separate institutions sharing powers, which leads to institutional conflict.

There is a prohibition against dual office holding. An individual cannot hold office in two branches of government at the same time. This adds a dimension of personal conflict to the institutional conflict.

There is the possibility of divided government, different political parties can control different parts of the government. This results in partisan conflict.

There is an elaborate checks and balances system among the branches of government.
3. There is fusion of powers among the branches of government.
Fusion of powers is designed to build cooperation into the system to enhance governmental effectiveness and majority rule.




Dual office holding is allowed. An individual can be a member of parliament and a member of the cabinet at the same time.


There is no possibility of divided government.



There is the norm of parliamentary supremcacy, the decisions of parliament cannot be limited by the other branches of government.

4. There is the permanent relevance of the minority.
Because decision making is fragmented among the different branches of government, the numerical minority has multiple points of entry into the system where they can voice their views and block actions.
4. There is the temporary irrelevance of the minority.
Once parliamentary elections determine who the majority party is, the majority party controls both the legislature and the executive and can then carry out its program. The losing parties become the loyal opposition and look for opportunities to displace the govenment and become the majority party.

5. The positions of head of government and head of state are held by one person.
The position of head of state is the ceremonial, symbolic leader of the country.

The American president is both head of government and head of state.









This leads to a problem of perception. As head of government, the American president is the leader of a particular political faction and is immersed in the political conflicts of the society. As head of state, the American president is supposed to represent national unity and stands outside the political conflicts of the society. The president cannot be both part of the political conflicts and above the political conflicts at the same time. When is the president in and when is he outside the political conflicts?
5. The positions of head of government and head of state are held by two different persons.



In parliamentary democracies that still have a monarchy, the king or queen is the head of state.

In parliamentary democracies that do not have a monarchy, there is a position, usually titled president, that acts as head of state. Depending on the specific country, this president can be either popularly elected, elected by the legislature, or elected by an electoral college.