ADVANTAGES OF PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

1. The head of the state usually elected through a direct mandate. In terms of democracy,
this makes the president’s authority more legitimate as he is elected by the people as
oppose to being appointed indirectly.
2. The stability it brings as presidents are usually elected to fixed terms while a prime
minister’s government can fall at anytime. An example of this is in Canada, where in
a minority government, the leader of the opposition, Michael Ignatieff could bring
down Stephen Harper’s government and has threatened to do so several times. This is
contrast to President Obama’s tenure which is secure till the elections of 2012.
3. Presidential system allow for the separation of powers as the legislature is a
completely different structure and institution. This allow a system of checks and
balances to be created, allowing one to monitor the other.
4. Presidential system ensures a united collective and is not impeded by the collective’s
indecisive natures. Authority rested in one hand leads to better stability and prevents
greater strife. With time the system evolves enough to sate the dissenting voices by
making them heard through the legislature and also indicates a limited interference by
the executive and legislature in each other’s affairs.
5. The presidential system independently constituted where office-seeking political
parties have no reason to impose discipline on their members. Their survival in office
does not depend on the result of any particular vote in the legislature.
6. The nature and design of elections typically means that Presidential systems have two
main parties, with some also having a substantial minority 3rd party. As positions are
typically won on a pure plurality basis, political parties are interested in appealing to
the widest group possible. Political parties tend to be long-term, with very few new
ones being created (and established ones very seldom dying).
7. The Legislative branch has fixed terms for all members, though the length of those
terms may not all be the same, and indeed, may be different than that of the Chief
Executive. This leads to (relatively) frequent elections, which means the people are
being frequently asked their opinion of those in power. However, within those terms,
both the Legislative and Executive branches have more freedom of action (for both
good and ill), since they know what their (minimum) time in office will be.