Parliamentary Systems

What are the key characteristics of a parliamentary system?

How does a parliamentary system differ from a presidential system?

How does a prime minister or chancellor get chosen in a parliamentary system?

How does a prime minister/government lose office?

 Northern Ireland faces snap elections

What is the role of political parties in a parliamentary system?

 See schema of parties in Riksdag

What effect do parliamentary systems have on political parties?

What are the advantages of a Parliamentary system?
 

government accountability 

efficiency, easier to make major policy changes

greater party cohesion, discipline

The disadvantages?
 

swings in policy when government changes hands  

high rates of government turnover in highly proportional systems
 
 

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of parliamentary system to a presidential one.

What are the advantages of a Presidential system? 

President can check legislative power

Executive independence 

President as symbol of national unity

What are the disadvantages of a Presidential system?
 

Less accountability – President can blame legislature, and vice versa
 

Inefficiency, harder to make major policy changes if one branch opposes it
 

Promotes candidate centered politics
 

Have you ever lived in a country with a parliamentary system?  What did you think of it?

Which do you prefer, a presidential or a parliamentary system and why?
 

In the course, we’ve used the UK (the Westminster model) as our example.

Who is the UK’s PM and what is her party? 
 

What seem to be her best skills and attributes as a political leader?
 

What are our president’s best skills and attributes as a political leader?
 

Would our president fare well in a parliamentary system?  Why or why not?
 

How well does our president represent his party’s platform?  Do members of Congress from his own party support the president’s agenda or not?  Give examples.
 
 

I