Unit 2: Political Institutions

Legislative Branch

The part of the government responsible for writing laws and significant policies.

Executive Branch

The part of the government responsible for implementing laws through the government’s bureaucracy.

Judicial Branch

The part of the government accountable for hearing cases and applying and interpreting laws.

Head of State

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

Head of Government

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

Parliamentary Systems

These combine the lawmaking and executive functions, which allow the national legislature to select and remove the head of government and cabinet.

Presidential Systems

These are 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 and oversees the bureaucratic implementation of executive regulations and laws written by the legislature.

Semi-Presidential Systems

These are 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 to implement the legislature’s laws.

Fixed-Term Election System

These are in which elections for public officials take place on a regularly announced and established schedule date.

Executive Bureaucracy

The system of government agencies that implement executive regulations and laws written by the legislature.

Executive Cabinet

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

Commander-in-Chief

The top governmental official in charge of decisions about the military.

Prime Minister

They are the leader of the national legislature and head of the government, they oversee formulating, implementing, and the enforcement of policy through different methods and bureaucratic agencies.

Civil Service

The permanent members of bureaucratic agencies who implement laws and governmental regulations.