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1. Organization of the Government
Making and execution of laws is the
primary function of a Government
A democratic government can be based
on Parliamentary or Presidential system
Within the Parliamentary or Presidential
system, the system of government can of
unitary or federal form

2.  Legislature is entrusted with enactment of laws
while the executive is concerned with day to day
administration and execution of laws
 Relationship between the legislature and the
executive differentiates Parliamentary and
Presidential Governments
 Relationship between the centre and federating
units determines the unitary or federal character
of the government

3. Parliamentary/Presidential
System of Government
Parliamentary Government
Executive is a part of legislature
Executive is accountable to legislature for its
actions
Presidential Government
President is the head of state as well as
government
Executive authority is concentrated in the
President

4. President chalks out administrative policy and this
policy does not require ratification by legislature
President exercises full powers as conferred by
the constitution
Members of cabinet are appointed by the
President and are accountable to the President
Legislature works independently as well
There is a clear independence of both branches
from each other
Both the legislature and executive are accountable
to people e.g. America

5. Parliamentary System: Salient
Features
Head of state has only ceremonious
functions. Prime Minister is the head of
Government and the executive head.
Head of the state acts on the advice of
Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
Cabinet is a part of legislature
Members of cabinet are elected to
legislature and chosen by Prime Minister
as a team

6. There is a close coordination between
executive and legislature. Both can
influence each other
Cabinet being a team is collectively
responsible to legislature.

7. Presidential System: Salient
Features
The Chief Executive, the President, is
elected directly or indirectly (through
electoral college) by the people
President has a fixed tenure and cannot
be removed except through impeachment
Members of presidential cabinet are not
the members of legislature
Ministers are directly and individually
responsible to the President

8. Although independent of each other,
President still has some influence on
parliament (Veto Powers of US President)
and parliament also has some checks on
the president

9. Comparison of Parliamentary/
Presidential Systems
Parliamentary System
 PM and Cabinet can stay
so long as they have
confidence of legislature
even in their fixed term of
some years
 Ministers are the
members of legislature
 Executive (Cabinet) takes
part in legislation
Presidential System
 President has a fixed
term and cannot be
removed in ordinary
circumstances except by
impeachment
 Ministers are not the
members of legislature
 Cabinet, not being the
members of legislature,
do not take part in
legislation

10. Parliamentary System
 Concept of joint
responsibility before the
parliament
 Most of the legislation is
done under the guidance
of the executive
Presidential System
 Each minister is
responsible to President
for his/her actions
 The legislation is done
independently normally
without the guidance of
the executive

11. Unitary/Federal Forms of
Government
Unitary form of Government
No separation of powers between national
government and local governments
Constitutionally, all powers rest with the
central/national government
Examples are UK, Italy, France
Federal form of Government
Constitutional division of powers between centre
and federating units

12. Matters of national importance fall within the
domain of central government like currency,
defence, foreign affairs
Matters of regional/local importance rest with the
federating units/provinces like education, health,
social welfare
Relationship between centre and the federating
units can be varied by the amendments in the
constitution

13. Unitary Form: Salient Features
National government holds paramount
position in administration throughout
country
Local institutions are subordinate to
national government in their function
National government may grant maximum
powers to local institutions like in UK but
the former remains supreme

14. UK has a unitary form of Government
where central government is exclusive
source of authority
UK Government delegates powers to local
institutions and is fully authorized to
withdraw them at anytime

15. Federal Government: Salient
Features
In the words of Hamilton, it is ‘an
organization of states that gives birth to a
new union’
Federal constitution specifies division of
powers between centre and federating
units
Federation provides effective union with
protection of rights of federating units

16. Federal system maintains a reasonable
balance between centralism and
regionalism
The constitution of USA provides federal
system where powers of the centre and
the federating units called states are
clearly demarcated

17. Comparison :Unitary and Federal
Governments
Unitary form of Govt.
 Suitable to smaller states
especially having
geographical unity and
political homogeneity
 Regional units can
exercise powers
delegated to them by the
centre. Constitution does
not specify their powers
Federal form of Govt.
 Suitable to states with
larger area and less
geographical/political
homogeneity
 Clear division of powers
by constitution.
Federating units can
legislate on the matters of
regional importance

18. Unitary form of Govt.
 Regional units derive
their powers from the
centre
 It is comparatively easier
for the central
government to enact laws
and govern as desired
Federal form of Govt.
 Federating units derive
their powers from the
constitution
 To enact laws and
govern, the central
government has to take
into account the wishes of
federating units

19. Pakistan
Parliamentary system of Government with
Federal form
Prime Minister and cabinet are the members of
legislature
Parliament can enact laws
Cabinet is responsible to the parliament
Pakistan comprises of four federating units called
provinces
Constitution of 1973 provides with the federal list,
provincial list and concurrent list

20. Issues
Provincial autonomy
Critics argue that the Federal Government in Pakistan
does not provide the extent of autonomy to the provinces
to an ideal level
Division of powers between the president and
prime minister
Dissolution of the National Assembly and the
Cabinet
Appointments to key positions like provincial
governors, service chiefs