AP Comparative Government - Unit 2

Parliamentary System

majority party forms government and party leader is prime minister/chancellor; leader not elected by ppl; leader of government is member of legislature

fusion of powers

lawmaking and executive combined (parliamentary system)

checks and balances in parliamentary system

controlling party can remove prime minister (in uk prime minister question time)

presidential system

separation/sharing of powers among 3 branches (legislative, executive, and judicial); president = independent w extensive powers

semi-presidential system

president + prime minister; direct vote for pres and legislature; prime minister = chosen by pres and approved by legislature

parliamentary; house of lords & house of commons; prime minister = boris johnson

UK Government System

presidential; house of representatives + senate = national assembly; president = muhammadu buhari

Nigeria Government System

presidential system; senate + chamber of deputies = congress of the union; president = andres manuel lopez obrador

Mexico Government System

semi-presidential; legislature = federal assembly of the russian federation; president = vladmir putin; prime minister = mikhail mishustin

russia government system

no system; has president & supreme leader; president = hassan rouhani

iran government system

no system; chief executive = xi jinping; no elections

china government system

head of state

ceremonial; symbolizes the ppl

head of government

political position; deals with everyday tasks; usually prime minister

same person

head of gov and head of state in presidential system

head of gov = prime minister = boris; prime minister + ministers = cabinet; cabinent members = party leaders chosen by prime minister; head of state = monarchy = queen.

uk executive system

head of gov & head of state = president = buhari

nigeria executive system

head of gov & head of state = president = andres manuel lopez obrador

mexico executive system

head of gov = prime minister = mikhail mishustin; head of state = president = vladimir putin; not ceremonial

russia executive system

president = hassan rouhani; supreme leader = commander in chief, appoints top ministers, makes sure gov upholds shi'a; president = more political; deals w foreign policy

iran executive system

chief executive = xi jinping; head of gov/party; no checks on power; picks all others leaders in gov

china executive system

- check executive term power and inhibit the emergence of dictators

- help to focus the officeholder on governing rather than winning elections

- provide opportunities for new leaders with new ideas, policies, or goals

advantages of term limits

- force good ppl to leave office

- not enough time to achieve goals

- policies wont continue

- weaken accountability

- Create a lame-duck period for the officeholder

- Prevent the officeholder from building experience as chief executive

- Can cause poorly designed policy

disadvantages of term limits

uk term limits

prime minister = no term limits (must maintain approval from house of commons); house of commons = 5 yr terms; monarch. = till death

uk term limits

2, 4 year terms (constitutional limit); alternate btwn islamic and christian president (informal/not in constitution)

nigeria term limits

president = single 6 year term (sexenio); must stay out of politics after term

mexico term limits

prime minster = 6 yrs but can be appointed again; president = 6 years but can be appointed again (usually 2 term limit but putin doesnt care)

russia term limits

president = 2, 4 yr terms; supreme leader = life tenure

iran term limits

president = 5 yr, renewable (used to be a 2 term limit)

china term limits

monarch serves until death (unless removed); prime minister serves until he is removed as party leader (vote by house of commons)

uk removal of executives

through impeachment by the legislature (has never happened)

nigeria removal of executives

through impeachment by the legislature; stated in the constitution but the process is unclear (has never happened)

mexico removal of executives

through impeachment by the legislature (putin controls legislature so that would never happen)

russia removal of executives

supreme leader = through assembly of experts (mentioned in constitution but process unclear); president= by legislature and supreme leader

iran removal of executives

president can hypothetically be removed by the national people's congress or party (would never happen)

china removal of executives

bicameral; house of commons; house of lords

uk legislature

house of commons

650 members; approves legislation; selects prime minister (confirmed by monarch); no checks; most authority of any country

house of lords

upper house; can debate without worry of being reelected

bicameral; senate + house of representatives = national assembly; national assembly has virtually no power compared to the pres

nigeria legislature

bicameral; chamber of deputies and senate

mexico legislature

mexican senate

upper house; confirms pres appt to supreme court; 2 two limit of 6 years

chamber of deputies

lower house; approves legislation; four term limit of 3 years

bicameral; duma and federation council

russia legislature

duma

stronger lower chamber; where the power is; pass legislation; confirm prime minister; can hold the cabinent accountable for policy implementation

federation council

represents 89 federal regions; approves budget legislation, treaties, judicial nominees, and troop deployment

unicameral but has 3 parts (the majiles, the guardian council, the expediency council)

iran legislature

the maijles

approves legislature, oversees the budget, and confrim presidential nominees to the cabinent; under supervision on the guardian council; elected on fixed terms of 4 years separate from presidential elections

the guardian council

ensures compatibility with islam and sharia law; filters candidates for office; half appointed by supreme leader and half by head of judiciaryl and approved by the majiles

expediency council

moderates debates between the maijiles and the guardian council

unicameral; national people's congress = indirectly elected; looks democratic on paper; zero authority; 5 year terms

china legislature

house of commons = very independent and not checked

uk independent legislatures

duma = not independent anymore; virtual rubber stamp for Putin

russia independent legislatures

national people's congress = zero independence

china independent legislature

the maijiles = semi independent; checked by guardian council to make sure they comply w islamic law; expediency council resolves disputes

iran independent legislatures

national assembly = independent; can challenge pres but pres has more power

nigeria independent legislatures

chamber of deputies and senate = independent; can challenge pres, less likely to support pres, pres has more power

mexico independent legislatures

- Responding to public demand

- Openly debating policy

- Facilitating compromise between factions

- Extending civil liberties

- Restricting the power of the executive

how do the legislatures have the potential to reinforce legitimacy and stability?

rule of law

Sovereignty of law over the people and elected officials; No one is above the law

judicial review

The mechanism by which courts can review the actions of government and overturn those that violate the constitution

supreme court = forced to retire @ 70; selected by the queen but told to do so by the majority party; uses common law to enforce the rule of law

uk judicial systems

federal courts = supreme court (judicial review; judges are recommended by judicial council and appointed by pres and confirmed by senate; cannot exceed 21 judges but 12 + chief rn) + court. of appeal + federal high court

state courts = the high court of a state + customary court of appeal of a state + the sharia court of appeal of a state

nigeria judicial system

supreme court = power of judicial review (rarely used); follows code law not common law; magistrates nominated by the pres and approved by the senate for a term of 15 years (step down when pres changes)

mexico judicial system

code law

a written set of laws that apply to everyone under a government

common law

A legal system based on custom and court rulings

- used to target opposition

- power of judicial review but not used as a check

- nominated by pres and approved by federation council

2 courts

constitutional court (rules of constitutional laws)

supreme court (highest judicial body)

russia judicial system

abstract judicial review

occurs before legislation has been passed

concrete judicial review

arises in the context of a specific legal case

civil courts (for some crimes) + revolutionary courts (for more serious crimes like national security)

- based on sharia law

- head of judiciary is appointed by supreme leader

- can nominate half of the guardian council with approval of the majiles

iran judicial system

rule by law (not rule of law)

- judicial system follows rules of CCP

china judicial system

- authority of the courts to overrule executive and legislative actions

- The process judicial officials acquire their jobs

- Length of judicial terms

- The professional and academic backgrounds that judicial officials are expected to have

- The processes used to remove judges from their posts

what does degree of judiciary independence rely on?

- By maintaining checks and balances

- Protecting rights and liberties

- Establishing the rule of law

- Maintaining separation of powers

how can independent judiciaries strengthen democracy?

- independent from partisan influence and from legislative and executive

- some degree of judicial checks/balances even tho UK has no written constitution and no power of judicial review

uk independent judiciaries

2019: Boris wanted to expedite his policy to withdraw the UK from the European Union by suspending Parliament.

- Supreme Court ruled against Boris's suspension of Parliament.

- He respected the decision but wished the judges were held more accountable for decisions.

example of uk judicial independence

- tried to improve independence by reducing corruption

- uses common law to give judges more power

- has power of judicial review

nigeria independent judiciaries

- improved independence with amendments but threatened by organized criminal groups

- judges recommended by pres and confrimed by senate w 15 yr term limit

mexico independent judiciaries

not independent bc gov has used courts in targeting political opponents

russia independent judiciaries

constitution says judiciary is independent but the courts are commonly used to prosecute opposition figures, creating rule BY law

iran independent judiciaries

no independence even tho judges sometimes make rulings against gov in lawsuits by citizens

china independent judiciaries