Democracy Questions
The main difference between a presidential and parliamentary democracy lies in the separation of powers and the structure of the executive branch. In a presidential democracy, the executive branch is separate from the legislative branch, with a president serving as the head of state and government. The president is elected by the people and holds significant powers, including the ability to veto legislation. The president is not directly accountable to the legislature and serves a fixed term.
On the other hand, in a parliamentary democracy, the executive branch is fused with the legislative branch. The head of government, known as the prime minister, is typically the leader of the majority party or coalition in the parliament. The prime minister is accountable to the parliament and can be removed through a vote of no confidence. The executive's power is derived from the legislature, and the prime minister's term depends on the support of the parliament.
Overall, the key distinction is that a presidential democracy has a clear separation of powers, while a parliamentary democracy has a fusion of powers between the executive and legislative branches.