comp gov unit 2: political institutions

Bicameral

refers to a legislature structure that consists of two chambers of representatives

Civil Service

is comprised of permanent members of bureaucratic agencies who implement laws and governmental regulations

Coalition Government

is a situation in parliamentary systems where multiple parties partner to construct a majority and form a government

Commander in Chief

is the top governmental official in charge of decisions pertaining to the military

Constituency

a geographic area represented by a member in the legislature

Executive Branch

is the part of a government that is responsible for implementing laws through the government’s bureaucracy

Executive Bureaucracy

is the system of governmental agencies that implement executive regulations and laws written by the legislature

Executive Cabinet

is comprised of top governmental officials in charge of formulating, implementing, and enforcing policy through different methods and bureaucratic agencies

Executive Term Limits

are institutional constraints on the length of time a head of state or head of government can serve in office. The United Kingdom is the only AP Comparative country with no formal _____ on its head of state and head of government.

Fixed-term Election System

is one in which elections for public officials take place on a regularly announced established date

Head of Government

is the executive leader sometimes known as a chief executive who formulates, implements, and enforces policies through the cabinet and different agencies

Head of State

is the executive leader who represents a nation in ceremonial functions; in some governments, the ___ can also have formal powers to shape foreign policy

Judicial Branch

is the part of the government responsible for hearing cases and applying and interpreting laws

Legislative Branch

is the part of the government responsible for writing laws and major policies

Parliamentary Hybrid

is a term that describes Russia’s semi-presidential system in which a directly elected president appoints the prime minister of the national legislature’s lower chamber (Duma)

Parliamentary System

exists when a national legislature has combined lawmaking and executive functions with the power to select a remove a prime minister who acts as head of government

Presidential System

exists when separate election processes are used in the selection of the president and the national legislature; the president serves as head of state and head of government who oversees the bureaucratic implementation of executive regulations and laws written by the legislature.

Prime Minister

is both the leader of the national legislature and the head of government who is in charge of formulating, implementing, and enforcing policy through different methods and bureaucratic agencies

Semi-Presidential System

exists when separate election processes are used in the selection of the president and the national legislature; the president serves as head of state and selects the head of government, with the legislature’s approval, to shape policies and implement the legislature’s laws.

Unicameral

refers to a legislative structure that consists of one chamber of representatives

Vote of No Confidence

is a vote by the legislature in a parliamentary system to force the resignation of the prime minister and cabinet and call for new elections