This document discusses different types of government executive systems including parliamentarism, presidentialism, and semi-presidentialism. It provides details on the nature of the executive office including the electoral mechanism and relationship with the legislative branch. Key aspects of different systems are outlined such as the head of state typically being symbolic while the head of government implements policies. Differences between parliamentarism and presidentialism are highlighted regarding selection process and ability to dissolve the legislature.

1. POL 252-01
Spring 2016

4.  Executives responsible for executing laws
following passage by a national legislature
(e.g. Parliament, Congress)

6.  Parliamentarism
 Presidentialism
 Semi-Presidentialism

8.  Nature of Executive Office
 Electoral Mechanism
 Continuance in Office
 Executive-Legislative Relationship

10. HEAD OF STATE
 Symbolic representative
 Ceremonial functions
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
 Implements national laws
and policies
Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan cuts a
ribbon at Bayat Media Centre in Kabul.
Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe
signs a constitutional bill into law.

11. PARLIAMENTARISM
 Head of State
 Head of Government
 Collegial Executive
PRESIDENTIALISM
 Both Head of State
and Head of Government
 Non-Collegial Executive
Gathering of U.S. Presidents,
January 2009
Queen Elizabeth II
MargaretThatcher

13. PARLIAMENTARISM
 Selected by majority party
in national legislature
PRESIDENTIALISM
 Direct election through
popular vote
 Indirect election through
Electoral College

15. PARLIAMENTARISM
 Dependent on legislature
confidence in abilities
 Vote of No Confidence
 PM may call for
Vote of Confidence
 “Snap Election”
 Why would you do this?
PRESIDENTIALISM
 Constitution places limit
 Case Studies:
 United States
▪ Two Four-Year terms (10 years)
▪ 22nd Amendment (FDR)
 Mexico
▪ One Six-YearTerm (Diaz)
 Other Countries

16. PARLIAMENTARISM
 Dependent on legislature
confidence in abilities
 Vote of No Confidence
 PM may call for
Vote of Confidence
 “Snap Election”
 Why would you do this?
PRESIDENTIALISM
 Constitution places limit
 Case Studies:
 United States
▪ Two Four-Year terms (10 years)
▪ 22nd Amendment (FDR)
 Mexico
▪ One Six-YearTerm (Diaz)
 Other Countries

18. PARLIAMENTARISM
 Service in both branches
 Dependent on legislature
 Centralized decision-making
 Can dissolve legislature
PRESIDENTIALISM
 Separation of Powers
and Checks and Balances
 Independent executive
 Cannot serve in legislature
 Decentralized decisions
 Cannot dissolve legislature

20.  Splits executive power
 President: Head of State; Direct Election
 Prime Minister: Head of Govt.; Presidential Appt.
 Passage of legislation requires both officials
 Roles and functions spelled out in constitution

21.  Works if both officials from same party
 What happens if officials from different parties?
▪ “Cohabitation”
▪ Compromise
 Can President remove Prime Minister?
 Case Study: Russia

22.  Putin replaced officeholders
after election; control of State
 2008 Switch
 Medvedev is President
 Putin is Prime Minister
 2012 Switch
 Putin wins presidency
 Medvedev PM again
▪ Weak power
Vladimir Putin
and Dimitri Medvedev

25. Formal Powers Informal Powers Unilateral Powers Partisan Powers

27.  Based in constitution or national laws
 Examples: Veto, Commander-in-Chief

29.  Ability to influence public opinion / debate
 “Bully Pulpit” in U.S.
 “The Power to Persuade”

31.  Executive acting alone without others
 Includes:
 Decrees
 Executive Orders
 States of Emergency
▪ Case Study: India

32.  Periodic Elections
 Constitutional Limitations
 Protection of Individual Rights (e.g. Bill of Rights)
 Impeachment
 Term Limits
 Separation of Powers / Checks and Balances

35.  Executive Leverage
 Party Legislators
▪ Example: The “JohnsonTreatment”
 Parties in Governing Coalition
 What does power balance depend on?
 Individual and Institutional Factors
Lyndon Johnson with
Sen. Richard Russell (D-GA)

38. Party Far Left Left Moderate Right Far Right
Seats 30 7 21 27 15

39.  MinimumWinning – No “surplus” parties
 Minimum Connected Winning - Parties
“connected”
 Minimum Size – Closest to threshold (50% +1)
 Median Party – Party with “middle seat” in
legislature
 Grand –Two or more parties over half of
electorate

42.  Accountability
 Direct election by citizens
 Identifiability
 President is head of national party
 Clear choice about direction of country
 Mutual Checks
 Checks and Balances
 Consensus in government
 “Arbiter-in-Chief”
 “Power to Persuade”
 Can president be non-partisan?

43.  Accountability
 Direct election by citizens
 Identifiability
 President is head of national party
 Clear choice about direction of country
 Mutual Checks
 Checks and Balances
 Consensus in government
 “Arbiter-in-Chief”
 “Power to Persuade”
 Can president be non-partisan?

44.  Temporal Rigidity
 FixedTenure in Office
 Unpopular and Popular Presidents
 Executive-Legislative Relations
 Dual Democratic Legitimacy
 Separate Elections  Popular Mandate
 “Outsiders” as Presidential Candidates

45.  Temporal Rigidity
 FixedTenure in Office
 Unpopular and Popular Presidents
 Executive-Legislative Relations
 Dual Democratic Legitimacy
 Separate Elections  Popular Mandate
 “Outsiders” as Presidential Candidates