"Parliamentary Government and Presidential Government"

Douglas V. Verney

in
Parliamentary vs. Presidential Government
Arend Lijphart, ed.

In this article, Verney makes the following distinctions between parliamentary and presidential governments:

PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT
PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT

The Assembly Becomes a Parliament:

Usually the culmination of a process from monarchy to assembly challenging monarchy's hegemony to assembly taking over responsibility for government.

A political system in which the executive, once separate, has been challenged by the assembly which is then transformed into a parliament comprising both government and assembly.

The Assembly Remains an Assembly Only:

There was no "natural evolution" as in the case of parliamentary development. Instead, the Founding Fathers made the assembly a distinct part of government as part of the separation of powers.

The Executive is Divided into Two Parts:

There is now a prime minister or chancellor who is the head of government and a monarch or president who is the head of state
The Executive is Not Divided But is a President Elected by the People for a Definite Term at the Time of Assembly Elections :

President elected "by the people", for a definite term of office. While running at the same time as asembly elections, it is also a separate election.

The Head of State Appoints the Head of Government:

This may only be a symbolic gesture but it emphasizes the difference between head of government and head of state
The Head of the Government is the Head of State:

President is both head of state and head of government.

The Head of Government Appoints the Ministry:

These appointments can be personal choices or the outcome of bargaining to form coalition government
The President Appoints Heads of Departments Who are His Subordinates:

Usually personal choices although often with the consent of an assembly body (in US--the Senate)

The Ministry (or Government) is a Collective Body:

The Prime Minister is really just the first among equals since Ministers exert a great deal of influence (especially in coalition governments)
The President is Sole Executive:

Although the heads of executive departments are collectively called the Cabinet it is not a Cabinet in the parliamentary sense of the ter. The government is really the president's government.

Ministers are Usually Members of Parliament:

The Ministers remain representatives of their districts even after they are appointed to Ministerial positions in most systems. They are thus accountable to both a government and a constituency.
Members of the Assembly are not Eligible for Office in the Administration and Vice Versa:

It is customary in presidential systems that the members of government can not be part of the assembly.

The Government is Politically Responsible to the Assembly:

By withholding support the parliament may be able to force the government to resign and cause the head of state to appoint a new government.
The Executive is Responsible to the Constitution:

Presidents must follow the constitutional prescriptions

The Head of Government May Advise the Head of State to Dissolve the Parliament:

In the past the monarch could dissolve the parliament on her/his own. Now this is done only on the request of the head of government.
The President Cannot Dissolve of Coerce the Assembly:

The President has no ability to threaten or coerce the assembly via threat of dissolution of the assembly.

Parliament as a Whole is Supreme Over Its Constituent Parts, Government and Assembly, Neither of Which May Dominate the Other:

Government depends on the support of the parliament but it may also dissolve it. Therefore, neither dominates
The Assembly is Ultimately Supreme Over the Other Branches of Government and There is No Fusion of the Executive and Legislative Branches as in a Parliament:

With the notion of separation of power, neither is ideally supreme but the assembly generally has more options(including to impeach a President) than the President has.

The Government as a Whole is Only Indirectly Responsible to the Electorate:

Government is not directly elected but chosen from those elected representative comprising the parliament. During the elections, the Ministers stand as representatives of their district, not the government.

The Executive is Directly Responsible to the Electorate:

The president is elected with popular votes and is one of, if not the only, person elected by the entire boy of electors.

Parliament is the Focus of Power in the Political System:

The fusion of the executive and legislative powers in parliament is responsible for the overriding ascendency of parliament. "It is the stage on which the drama of politics is played out; it is the forum for the nation's ideas; and it is the school where future political leaders are trained".
There is No Focus of Power in the Political System:

"Instead of concentration there is division; instead of unity, fragmentation".

PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT	PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT
The Assembly Becomes a Parliament: Usually the culmination of a process from monarchy to assembly challenging monarchy's hegemony to assembly taking over responsibility for government. A political system in which the executive, once separate, has been challenged by the assembly which is then transformed into a parliament comprising both government and assembly.	The Assembly Remains an Assembly Only: There was no "natural evolution" as in the case of parliamentary development. Instead, the Founding Fathers made the assembly a distinct part of government as part of the separation of powers.
The Executive is Divided into Two Parts: There is now a prime minister or chancellor who is the head of government and a monarch or president who is the head of state	The Executive is Not Divided But is a President Elected by the People for a Definite Term at the Time of Assembly Elections : President elected "by the people", for a definite term of office. While running at the same time as asembly elections, it is also a separate election.
The Head of State Appoints the Head of Government: This may only be a symbolic gesture but it emphasizes the difference between head of government and head of state	The Head of the Government is the Head of State: President is both head of state and head of government.
The Head of Government Appoints the Ministry: These appointments can be personal choices or the outcome of bargaining to form coalition government	The President Appoints Heads of Departments Who are His Subordinates: Usually personal choices although often with the consent of an assembly body (in US--the Senate)
The Ministry (or Government) is a Collective Body: *The Prime Minister is really just the first among equals* since Ministers exert a great deal of influence (especially in coalition governments)**	The President is Sole Executive: Although the heads of executive departments are collectively called the Cabinet it is not a Cabinet in the parliamentary sense of the ter. The government is really the president's government.
Ministers are Usually Members of Parliament: The Ministers remain representatives of their districts even after they are appointed to Ministerial positions in most systems. They are thus accountable to both a government and a constituency.	Members of the Assembly are not Eligible for Office in the Administration and Vice Versa: It is customary in presidential systems that the members of government can not be part of the assembly.
The Government is Politically Responsible to the Assembly: By withholding support the parliament may be able to force the government to resign and cause the head of state to appoint a new government.	The Executive is Responsible to the Constitution: Presidents must follow the constitutional prescriptions
The Head of Government May Advise the Head of State to Dissolve the Parliament: In the past the monarch could dissolve the parliament on her/his own. Now this is done only on the request of the head of government.	The President Cannot Dissolve of Coerce the Assembly: The President has no ability to threaten or coerce the assembly via threat of dissolution of the assembly.
Parliament as a Whole is Supreme Over Its Constituent Parts, Government and Assembly, Neither of Which May Dominate the Other: Government depends on the support of the parliament but it may also dissolve it. Therefore, neither dominates	The Assembly is Ultimately Supreme Over the Other Branches of Government and There is No Fusion of the Executive and Legislative Branches as in a Parliament: With the notion of separation of power, neither is ideally supreme but the assembly generally has more options(including to impeach a President) than the President has.
The Government as a Whole is Only Indirectly Responsible to the Electorate: Government is not directly elected but chosen from those elected representative comprising the parliament. During the elections, the Ministers stand as representatives of their district, not the government.	The Executive is Directly Responsible to the Electorate: The president is elected with popular votes and is one of, if not the only, person elected by the entire boy of electors.
Parliament is the Focus of Power in the Political System: The fusion of the executive and legislative powers in parliament is responsible for the overriding ascendency of parliament. "It is the stage on which the drama of politics is played out; it is the forum for the nation's ideas; and it is the school where future political leaders are trained".	There is No Focus of Power in the Political System: "Instead of concentration there is division; instead of unity, fragmentation".