Differences Between Presidential and Parliamentary Systems

Differences Between Presidential and Parliamentary Systems

A number of key theoretical differences exist between a presidential and a parliamentary system:

• In a presidential system, the central principle is that the legislative and executive branches of government are separate. This leads to the separate election of president, who is elected to office for a fixed term, and only removable for gross misdemeanor by impeachment and dismissal. In addition he or she does not need to choose cabinet members commanding the support of the legislature. By contrast, in parliamentarianism, the executive branch is led by a council of ministers, headed by a Prime Minister, who are directly accountable to the legislature and often have their background in the legislature (regardless of whether it is called a "parliament", an "assembly", a "diet", or a "chamber").
• As with the president's set term of office, the legislature also exists for a set term of office and cannot be dissolved ahead of schedule. By contrast, in parliamentary systems, the prime minister needs to survive a vote of confidence otherwise a new election must be called. The legislature can typically be dissolved at any stage during its life by the head of state, usually on the advice of either Prime Minister alone, by the Prime Minister and cabinet, or by the cabinet.
• In a presidential system, the president usually has special privileges in the enactment of legislation, namely the possession of a power of veto over legislation of bills, in some cases subject to the power of the legislature by weighted majority to override the veto. The legislature and the president are thus expected to serve as checks and balances on each other's powers.
• Presidential system presidents may also be given a great deal of constitutional authority in the exercise of the office of Commander in Chief, a constitutional title given to most presidents. In addition, the presidential power to receive ambassadors as head of state is usually interpreted as giving the president broad powers to conduct foreign policy. Though semi-presidential systems may reduce a president's power over day-to-day government affairs, semi-presidential systems commonly give the president power over foreign policy.

The parliamentary system can be contrasted with a presidential system which operates under a stricter separation of powers, whereby the executive does not form part of—nor is appointed by—the parliamentary or legislative body. In such a system, parliaments or congresses do not select or dismiss heads of governments, and governments cannot request an early dissolution as may be the case for parliaments. There also exists the semi-presidential system that draws on both presidential systems and parliamentary systems by combining a powerful president with an executive responsible to parliament, for example, the French Fifth Republic.

Why Adopting the Parliamentary System in Africa is Hard

• Many African countries have been under colonialism and as such, consider the parliamentary system of government that was being practiced by their colonial masters, a relic of colonialism.
• The Parliamentary system is comparatively more expensive to run than the presidential system.
• Some argue that the African traditional political system does not give room for an official opposition (or criticism of the Chief) which is one of the features of the parliamentary system.
• Others argue that a presidential system better suits countries with diverse cultures.
• Recall that there is the tendency for a parliamentary system to drift toward instability. This happens when a vote of no-confidence is passed in the government by the legislature and it has to resign. This could cause more problems for an already fragile country.