Parliamentary

system

A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy is a system of democratic governance of a

state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its
ability to command the support ("confidence") of the legislature, typically a parliament, to which
it is accountable. In a parliamentary system, the head of state is usually a person distinct from
the head of government. This is in contrast to a presidential system, where the head of state
often is also the head of government and, most importantly, where the executive does not derive
its democratic legitimacy from the legislature.

World's states colored by form of government1

Map legend
  Full presidential republics2 Semi-presidential republics2

 Republics with an executive president elected by or Parliamentary republics2

nominated by the legislature that may or may not be subject to
parliamentary confidence

 Parliamentary constitutional monarchies where royalty does  Parliamentary constitutional monarchies which have a
not hold significant power separate head of government but where royalty holds
significant executive and/or legislative power

Absolute monarchies One-party states

 Countries where constitutional provisions for government  Countries which do not fit any of the above systems (e.g.
have been suspended (e.g. military juntas) provisional governments/unclear political situations)

 No government

1
This map was compiled according to the Wikipedia list of countries by system of government. See there for
sources.
2
This map presents only the de jure form of government, and not the de facto degree of democracy.
v t e (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Forms_of_government_map&action=edit)

Countries with parliamentary systems may be constitutional monarchies, where a monarch is

the head of state while the head of government is almost always a member of parliament, or
parliamentary republics, where a mostly ceremonial president is the head of state while the head
of government is regularly from the legislature. In a few parliamentary republics, among some
others, the head of government is also head of state, but is elected by and is answerable to
parliament. In bicameral parliaments, the head of government is generally, though not always, a
member of the lower house.

Parliamentarianism is the dominant form of government in Europe, with 32 of its 50 sovereign

states being parliamentarian. It is also common in the Caribbean, being the form of government
of 10 of its 13 island states, and in Oceania. Elsewhere in the world, parliamentary countries are
less common, but they are distributed through all continents, most often in former colonies of
the British Empire that subscribe to a particular brand of parliamentarianism known as the
Westminster system.

History

Characteristics

Advantages

Disadvantages and criticisms

Countries

See also

References

External links

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Last edited 2 days ago by Camoes14