presidential and parliamentary

The Executive

The branch of government responsible for implementing and enforcing laws.

Leadership in the Executive

Includes foreign policy, budget management, and legislative proposals.

Management in the Executive

Involves implementation of policy and crisis response.

Head of Government

Typically the president or prime minister/chancellor.

Cabinet Ministers

Top government officials in charge of specific departments, like foreign or finance ministries.

Civil Servants

Employees working in ministries, departments, and government agencies.

How is the Head of the Executive Chosen in Brazil?

Directly elected.

How is the Head of the Executive Chosen in the USA?

Elected by a special college.

How is the Head of the Executive Chosen in Germany?

Indirectly elected by the parliament.

Impeachment

A process by which a head of executive can be removed by a court.

Vote of No Confidence

A legislative mechanism to remove a prime minister, commonly used in the UK.

Presidentialism

A system where the president holds significant power and appoints the Cabinet.

Parliamentarism

A system where the prime minister is often appointed by the legislature and can be removed by it.

Semi-Presidentialism

A system featuring a president who appoints a prime minister, with shared powers.

Perils of Presidentialism

Challenges faced in presidential systems, including competing claims to legitimacy.

First Wave of Debate

Focuses on presidentialism versus parliamentarism and its effects on democracy.

Key Finding of First Wave

Parliamentarism is often found to be more stable than presidentialism.

Comparative Methods

Approaches used to systematically compare different political systems and their outcomes.

Veto-Player Theory

The idea that certain key actors can block policy changes, affecting governance.

Third Wave of Debate

Analyzes the importance of veto players in achieving good governance and democratic accountability.