polsic

POLSCI 202

UMASS Boston

Prof. Shuai Jin

Executive-Legislative Relations

Presidential

Parliamentary

Semi-presidential

Executives

Head of State

A role that symbolizes and represents the state, both nationally and internationally

president or monarch

Head of Government

In charge of the everyday tasks of running the state, such as formulating and executing domestic policy

Prime minister or president

What Legislatures Are

Assembly or body of representatives with the authority to make laws

U.S. Congress & British Parliament

Japanese Parliament

Parliamentary system

· Indirectly elected prime minister holds executive power as head of government

· Directs cabinet, formulates legislation and domestic and international policies

· Serves for an unfixed term and may be removed by a vote of no confidence

· Head of state (president or monarch) is largely ceremonial

· No separation of origin between legislature and executive

· No separation of survival between legislature and executive

Parliamentary system

· A vote of no confidence is initiated by the legislature; if the government does not obtain a legislative majority in this vote, it must resign.

· In some countries when governments lose, parties in the legislature will bargain among themselves and form a new government without an election (Italy, Denmark).

· In other countries, a government defeat almost always leads to a new election (Ireland).

· A constructive vote of no confidence must indicate who will replace the government if the incumbent loses a vote of no confidence.

· Belgium, Germany, Israel, Spain

· A vote of confidence is initiated by the government; if the government does not obtain a legislative majority in this vote, it must resign.

· Attach a piece of legislature

· Unite a divided party

· Silence the opponents who publicly criticize the government but do not want to vote the government out of office

Presidential system

· Directly elected presidents serve as both head of state and head of government, appoints and directs cabinet

· Directly elected members of the legislature in charge of legislation

· The executive branch and legislative branch have separation of origin

· Both the president and the legislature serve for fixed terms of office. Neither branch has the ability to easily remove the other, creating a separation of survival.

Semi-presidential system

· Directly elected president and indirectly elected prime minister share power

· Presidents enjoy fixed terms, while prime ministers remain subject to the confidence of the legislature

· Presidents help set policies, prime minister executes it. Presidents also manage foreign policy.

· Whether president or prime minister holds more power depends on the country

Benefits and Drawbacks

Madison’s dilemma: balancing effective and limited government

Parliamentary:

Benefits:

Prime minister can usually get legislation passed.

Great efficiency by reducing the chances of divided government and deadlock

Unpopular prime minister may be easily removed by the legislature through a vote of no confidence

Drawbacks:

Weak checks and balances

Public does not directly select prime minister. Greater efficiency may come at the cost of weaker public oversight and control over elected officials.

Can be weak and unstable with party fragmentation

Presidential:

Benefits:

President is directly elected by the public.

The independent bases of authority and legitimacy of the executive and legislative branches ensure more checks and balances.

Drawbacks:

President and legislature may be controlled by different parties, leading to divided government.

In divided government, president’s agenda is likely blocked by the legislature.

No other actor can resolve the problem within the democratic framework.

Presidential drawbacks

It is difficult for presidential systems to handle unpopular or popular presidents.

Unpopular presidents can not be replaced except though new elections. Replacing an unpopular president easily shake the whole system. A coup is the only means of removing an incompetent or unpopular president before the end of his term.

In presidential systems prohibiting immediate re-election, popular presidents are turned out of office.

political outsiders with little experience can get elected due to the direct popular election of presidents.

It’s especially problematic if the party system is relatively weak and if party elites do not control the selection process of presidential candidates.

Semi-presidential

Benefits:

Directly elected president and indirectly elected prime minister share power.

In theory combines the best of presidential and parliamentary systems.

Drawbacks:

Conflict possible between prime minister and president over powers and responsibilities, also confusion of accountability

In some countries, presidents enjoy special unilateral powers, such as nominate and dismiss PM/cabinet, dissolve parliament, call new elections

The power of president depends on whether president’s party controls parliament. When the president’s party also controls a parliamentary majority, power is more concentrated in semi-presidential system than the other two systems.