Compare and Contrast of Parliamentary and Presidential Form of
Government
Subject: Political SciencePaper-1-CSS-PMS
By: Mr. Imran Zahoor
PhD Scholar of IR
WhatsApp: 0321-4800309
Compare
Democratic Foundations: Both systems can be found in democratic societies
where the government is elected by the people. This includes periodic elections,
campaigning, and voter participation.
Separation of Powers: Both systems generally acknowledge a separation of
powers, though the degree and nature of this separation vary between the two.
Checks and Balances: Both systems incorporate mechanisms to ensure that one
branch or component of government doesn’t become too powerful.
Representative Democracy: In both systems, representatives are elected to make
decisions on behalf of the people. These representatives are accountable to the
electorate and can be replaced in through elections.
Judicial Oversight: Both systems usually feature an independent judiciary that
has the authority to review laws and governmental actions to ensure they are in
line with the constitution or established legal principles.
Civil Liberties: Both systems often protect fundamental civil rights and liberties,
ensuring freedoms like speech, assembly, religion, and the press.
Political Parties: Both systems generally have political parties that compete in
elections, represent various ideologies, and play a crucial role in the formation
and functioning of the government.
Decentralization of Power: Many countries, regardless of whether they adopt a
presidential or parliamentary system, have some form of federalism or
decentralization, where regional or state governments have specific powers
separate from the national government.
Policy Formulation and Implementation: In both systems, there's a structured
process for creating, debating, approving, and implementing policies or laws.
Public Participation: Both systems emphasize the role of the public in governance,
either directly (e.g., referendums) or indirectly (e.g., through elected
representatives). They value civic engagement and citizen involvement in the
political process.
Contrast
Head of State vs. Head of Government:
Parliamentary System: The roles of the head of state and head of government
may be separated. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the head of state
and the Prime Minister is the head of government.
Presidential System: The president typically serves as both the head of state
and the head of government, as seen in the U.S, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia,
Argentina etc.
Election & Removal:
Parliamentary System: The executive leader (e.g., Prime Minister) is usually the
leader of the majority party in the legislature and can typically be removed by a
vote of no confidence.
Presidential System: The president is elected separately from the legislature,
often for a fixed term, and typically cannot be removed unless through
impeachment for serious offenses.
Executive's Origin:
Parliamentary System: The executive branch emerges from the legislative
branch. The Prime Minister and the cabinet are typically members of the
parliament.
Presidential System: The executive branch is separate from the legislative
branch. The president is not a member of the legislature.
Cabinet Members:
Parliamentary System: Cabinet members are usually members of the
legislature.
Presidential System: Cabinet members are not members of the legislature and
are often appointed by the president.
Flexibility and Stability:
Parliamentary System: Tends to provide more flexibility as the executive can be
changed more easily if it loses the confidence of the majority in the legislature.
However, this can sometimes lead to instability if there are frequent changes in
leadership.
Presidential System: Offers more stability since the president is elected for a
fixed term, but it might lead to potential jam if the president and the legislative
majority belong to opposing parties.
Potential for Concentration of Power:
o Parliamentary System: There's often a closer cooperation and lesser conflict
between the executive and legislative branches, especially if one party holds
the majority in the parliament.
o Presidential System: The separation between the executive and legislative
branches is more prominent, which can serve as a check against the
concentration of power.
By: Mr. Imran Zahoor
PhD Scholar of IR
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