DE Chapter 4 - AP Comparative - Waples

Institutions

Th executive and bureaucracy, the legislature, and the judiciary.

Executive

The chief political power in a state, usually a president or prime minister

Bureaucracy

A large set of unelected officials who implement the laws

Legislature

A group of lawmakers that passes laws and represents citizens.

Judiciary

The system of courts that inerprets the law and applies it to individual cases

Parliamentary System

A system in which the executive and legislature are fused

Prime Minister (PM)

The head of government in a parliamentary or semi-presidentail system. The PM is a member of the legislature and is selected by the majority party

Coalition government

When two or more parties agree to work together to form a majority and select a prime minister

Member of parliament (MP)

A representative in the legislature elected by citizens

Vote of no confidence

In parliamentary systems, a vote by parliament to remove a government (the prme minister and cabinet) from power.

Presidential system

A system in which the executive and legislature are elected independently and have separate and independent powers

Separation of Powers

A division of power among the major branches of government

Divided government

When one or both houses of the legislature are controlled by a political party other than the party of the president

Semi-Presidential system

A system that divides executive power between a directly elected president and a prime minister

Term Limit

A restriction on the number of terms the executive may serve

Term of office

A specified number of years that an executive can serve

Impeachment

The process of removing a president from office before the end of his or her term

Cabinet

The heads of major department or ministries in the bureaucracy

Legislative oversight

The power of the legislature to hold cabinet officials and members of bureacracy accountable for their actions and policies

Unicameral Legislature

A legislature with one chamber

Common Law

A legal system in which previous written opinions serve as precedent for future cases

Code Law

A legal system in which judges follow the law written by the legislature, and previous court decisions do not serve as precedent

Judicial Independence

The ability of judges to decide cases according to the law, free of interference from politically powerful officials or other institutions