a brief definition about the semi presidential system , the history of system and features of the system with an eye on the Egyptian case

1. Spot light on the semi-
presidential system
PresentedBY: Mostafa Mahmoud Maraey
I.DNo.: 3141300
Material: Comparative Politics

2. Introduction :-
The semi-presidential system is a system of
government in which a president exists along with
a prime minister and the Cabinet, with the latter two
being responsible to the legislature of a state. It
differs from a parliamentary republic in that it has a
popularly elected head of state who is more than a
purely ceremonial figurehead, and from
the presidential system in that the cabinet, although
named by the president, is responsible to the
legislature, which may force the cabinet to resign
through a motion of no confidence.

3. Definition :-
Semi-presidential system is where a constitution
includes a popularly elected fixed-term president
and a prime minister and cabinet who are
collectively responsible to the legislature.

4. History of the system :-
While the Weimar Republic (1919–
1933) was one of the earliest examples
of a semi-presidential system, the term
was first used in a 1978 work by
political scientist Maurice Duverger to
describe the then relatively new French
Fifth Republic.

5. The French semi-presidential system started in 1958 by
“Charlie Digul “ under the name of the fifth republic.
Where he created a new constitution then he put it to
the public referendum and it accepted.
The foundation of the Fifth Republic has gone through
many stages, the first was the fall of the Fourth
Republic after the Algerian revolution, then “ René
Coty “ the president asked “ Digul “ to form a
government.
The constitution of “ Digul “ was different because it
accepted a new rational parliamentary system controlled
by the executive system and it granted the president
more powers to act. This form became the similar of
what the system is now.

6. Features of the semi-presidential
system :-
• A combination of the presidential and the parliamentary
perceptions.
• The dual tasks of an elected president and a government
which nominated on the base of the partisan majority in
the parliament.
• The government bears the political responsibility
because it emerged of the parliament.
• The government have the right of dissolving the
parliament.

7. Advantages :-
•The government has the right of issuing bills and present
it to the parliament to discuss it and vote for it by only
yes or no.
•The parliament has the right of withdraw confidence of a
minister or another.
•This system restricted the power of the president in
dissolving the parliament and it is available for one time
per year.

8. Disadvantages :-
_ The main problem in this system represented in the interests
clash between the president and the head of the government
who came by the parliament, this problem was nicknamed in
France as “ The double coexistence problem “. This problem
acted in France when the socialist president “Metirain “ was
elected by the people and he should work together with the
right capitalist head of government “ Chirak “ who nominated
by the parliament in 1968.
_ The president can misuse of the right of people referendum as
it is now prevalent in some countries.

9. A comparison with other system
:-
The presidential system: in this system the executive
authority is independent of the legislature and it couldn’t
be under its control and it couldn’t dissolve the
parliament.
The parliamentary System: in this system the ministers
represented as the executive branch of the parliament.
The legislature is so interpolated with the executive
authority. Also in this system the head of government of
course is the executive author and the great
parliamentarians alike.

10. The Egyptian case :-
Egypt has remained over the years using the semi-
presidential system which is so close with the French
system.
Although in the past the president “ Mubarak “ had the
authority of appointing the head of the government and
he used to marginalize the role of the parliament by
asking the government to ask bills then it accepted by the
fake parliament.
After the revolution Egypt has seen a great political
confusion in the absence of the constitution and the role
of legislature, even the president becomes unique of all
authorities.

11. Conclusion :-
As a conclusion, this variation of the
political systems shouldn’t affect on
working for the interests of people in
all places and times. And only the
people have the decisions to choose
who will work for their interests.