pol140 lecture

Definition: Parliamentary systems consist of a single election for the legislative body (parliament), which then creates an executive or cabinet.
Legislative Role: Elections in parliamentary systems are exclusively for the legislative body, often referred to as congress in some countries.
Formation of Executive: After parliamentary elections, a cabinet is formed if there is a majority present in the parliament.
- A majority is defined as more than 50% of the votes in parliament.
- If no single political party has more than 50%, multiple parties may collaborate to form a coalition, thus establishing a cabinet.
Head of Government: The head of the executive is called the prime minister, who is directly accountable to the parliament.

In parliamentary systems, the head of government (prime minister) and head of state (often a monarch or a ceremonial president) are separate roles.
- Example: In Great Britain:
- Current Prime Minister: Hugh Starman
- Head of State: King Charles
The head of state may serve a ceremonial role, often lacking substantial political power.

Commonality: These systems are prevalent in former British colonies (e.g., India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Israel) and are known as the Westminster Model.
Election Process: A single popular election determines the legislative body, directly impacting the formation of the executive.
Lack of Separation of Powers: Unlike presidential systems, there is no strict separation between executive and legislative branches:
- Parliament can dismiss the prime minister through a vote of no confidence.
- In contrast, once elected, a president in a presidential system often cannot be removed from office without significant cause, such as impeachment.

Definition: A parliamentary mechanism allowing members of the legislature to remove the government or prime minister.
Procedure: If a governing coalition loses its majority or fails to perform adequately, members can propose a vote of no confidence.
- A simple majority (over 50%) is needed for this vote to pass.
- If successful, the prime minister loses their mandate, necessitating the formation of a new government or a call for new elections.

Election Process: In presidential systems, the president and legislative body are elected separately, leading to possible political conflicts.
- Presidential terms generally last a fixed duration (e.g., four years) unless impeachment occurs.
Coalition Governments: In parliamentary systems, it is common for coalition governments to be formed as no single party holds a majority:
- Example: In Germany, coalition governments are a frequent occurrence.

Typically, cabinet members in parliamentary systems are drawn from the elected legislature (Members of Parliament - MPs).
- However, it is possible for non-elected individuals to serve in the cabinet, although this is not the norm.

Key Features:
- There is a clear separation of powers, where the executive (president) and legislature (congress) operate independently.
- Presidents cannot be removed by legislative votes without significant legal processes.

Political Stability: The ability to swiftly change prime ministers through a simple majority can lead to greater political fluidity.
Symbolic Leadership: Heads of state in parliamentary systems often have no real political power, acting more as symbols of national unity.

In-Class Writing Assignment: Details shared about an assignment related to understanding democracy in assigned countries.
- Due Date: Next Thursday.
- Task: Review Freedom House's latest country report (2025) for the assigned country from an Excel sheet available on Canvas.
- Collaboration: Pair with another student to write a comparative report on democracy.

Clarifications Requested:
- Jake inquired about the concept of the vote of no confidence and how it functions in parliamentary systems.
Discussion Vision: Aim to further understand the implications of the parliamentary system as compared to presidential systems.