AP CoGo Unit 2

Parliamentary System

a political system in which the roles of head of state and head of government are assigned to different executive offices

Prime Minister

head of government

Vote of No Confidence

vote taken by legislature as to whether it’s members continue to support the minister; it can force resignation

Presidential System

a political system in which the roles of head of state and head of government are combined in one office

Semi-Presidential System

an executive system that divides power between two strong executives, a president and a prime minister

Westminister Model (Characteristics of a Parliamentary System)

Fusion of executive and legislative authority, voters vote for members, majority party selects prime minister, prime minister selects cabinet, efficient system

Checks of Power in Parliamentary System

Question time, party leadership, collective responsibility

Characteristics of a Presidential System

Separation of executive and legislative authority, voters vote for president, president selects cabinet then legislature confirms appointment, difficult policy making system

Checks in a Presidential System

Confirmation of the cabinet, override veto, legislative oversight

Differences in Parliamentary and Presidential Systems

separation of power, who votes for the head of government, veto power (only in presidential), cabinet members must be MPs in parliament and is more efficient, presidential has fixed terms

Ultimate Limits Legislative has on Head of Government

remove or refusal

China President Xi Jinping

Chinese Head of State, nominates the premier, has no term limits, inaugurated on Mach 14, 2013

Chinese Premier Li Qiang

Chinese Head of Government, has domestic legislation, appoints cabinet, has 2 five-year term limit, inaugurated on March 11, 2023

Iran Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei

Iran Head of State, has no term limits, elects all major people in power, inaugurated in April 14, 1979

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian

Iran Head of Government, has foreign policy and cabinet power, has 2 four-year term limits, inaugurated on July 6, 2024

Mexico President Claudia Pardo

Mexico Head of State and Government, serves 1 six-year term, inaugurated October 1, 2024

Nigeria President Bola Tinubu

Nigeria Head of State and Government, has 2 four-year term limit, must have 1 cabinet member from each state, inaugurated on May 29, 2023

Russia President Vladimir Putin

Russia Head of State, has no term limit, has all foreign power, has power over government, inaugurated on March 4, 2012 (did have a six year break)

Russia Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin

Russia Head of Government, in charge of domestic legislation, has no term limit, inaugurated on January 16, 2020

UK Monarch King Charles iii

UK Head of State, ceremonial, had no term limit, comes to power through line of succession, must approve the PM, took throne on September 8, 2022

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer

UK Head of Government, elected by the MPs, has power, no term limit, inaugurated on July 5, 2024

Removal Process of Executive in China

NPC Remove—has never happened

Removal Process of Executives in Iran

Assembly of Experts; Majlis/Supreme Leader—never happened

Removal Process of Executives in Mexico/Nigeria

2/3 Congress Impeach—Never happened

Removal Process of Executives in Russia

2/3 Federal Assembly Impeach; no confidence vote in Duma—never happened

Removal Process of Executives in the UK

Vote of no confidence; MP cote of no confidence—has happened 1979 and 1990

Head of State

represents state, ceremonial, represents people nationally/internationally

Head of Government

Enforces and proposes laws

Nigeria Legislature

Bicameral system with House of Reps (elects lower house and approves legislature) and Senate )elected upper house, approves legislation, confirmation power, impeachment power)

Mexico Legistature

Bicameral system with Chamber of Deputies (elected lower house, approves legislation, levies taxes, verifies election outcome) and Senate (elected upper house, approves legislation, approves treaties, confirmation of Supreme Court justices, approve federal intervention in state matters)

UK Legislature

Bicameral system with House of Commons (elected lower house, approves legislation, includes Prime Minister) and House of Lords (appointed upper house, reviews and amends bills, can delay implementation of bills, given at birth positions)

Russia Legislature

Bicameral system with Duma (elected lower house, passes legislation, confirms President’s choice for PM) and Federation Council (appoints upper house, approves budget legislation, confirms judicial nominees, approves troop deployment)

China Legislature

Unicameral system with National People’s Congress (elected house, party controlled, elects President, approves the Premier, legitimizes policies of the executive, constitutionally most powerful institution)

Iran Legislative

Unicameral system with Majiles (elected house, approves legislation, oversees budget, confirms President’s cabinet appointments, acts under the supervision of the Guardian Council)

Legislative independence

The degree to which a legislature is free to exercise it’s power without constraints from other branches/institutions

China’s Politburo Standing Committee, Iran’s Guardian Council and Expediency Council, UK’s Question TIme, Mexico’s Impeachment of President

Examples of constraints limiting legislative independence

Increases in Legitimacy/Stability

Responding to the public, facilitating compromise, openly debating policy, extending civil liberties, checking the executive

China’s Judicial System

Tiered court system, judicial appointments are controlled by the CCP, Rule by Law, no judicial review

Iran’s Judicial System

Sharia law, role of judiciary appointed by Supreme Leader, Head of Judiciary can nominate half of guardian council, judicial review is sharia law

Mexico’s Judicial System

Tiered court system, Supreme Court has judicial review, Supreme Court magistrates nominated by President and confirmed by senate for 15 year terms, has judicial reviews

Nigeria’s Judicial System

Tiered system, judicial review, sharia courts in north, supreme courts judges recommended by judicial courts and appointed by president and confirmed by senate, judicial reforms have happened here

Russia’s Judicial System

Tiered system, judges nominated by president and approved by Federation Council, judicial review in theory but never done, targets opposition of President

UK’s Judicial System

Not unified, common law to enforce rule of law, Supreme Court/final court of appeals,

Common Law

Law developed through judicial decisions

Code Law

rules written down

Factors impacting degree of Judicial Independence

Qualifications for Judges, term lengths, process for removal, authority to overrule executive or legislative actions

Judicial + Democracy

Maintains checks & power, protects rights & liberties, establishes Rule of Law, maintains separation of powers

Countries with Independent Judiciaries

UK

Countries that sort of have Independent Judiciaries

Mexico and Nigeria

Countries without Independent Judiciaries

Russia (targeting ops), China (one party), and Iran (theocracy)

Structure

Form, makeup or arrangement

Function

Someone’s role, task or responsibility