Chapter 12: Parliamentary, Presidential, and Semi-Presidential Democracies Flashcards
(33 cards)
Different types of democracy
Presidential, Parliamentary, and Semi-presidential
What forms of government can form in a parliamentary democracy?
Single-party majority, minimal winning coalition, minority government, surplus majority
Office-seeking
Interested in the “intrinsic” benefits of office
Policy-seeking
Interested in influencing public policy
Legislative responsibility
A legislative majority has the constitutional power to remove the government from office without cause
A vote of no confidence
The mechanism in which the legislative majority can remove the government
A constructive vote of no confidence
Requires that a government can only be brought down if a legislative majority can agree on its replacement
A vote of confidence
Initiated by the government
Do presidential democracies have legislative responsibility?
No.
Can presidents exist in parliamentary and semi-presidential democracies as well?
Yes.
Presidential democracy
The government does not depend on a legislative majority to exist.
Parliamentary democracy
The governemt depends on a legislative majority to exist. The head of state is not popularly elected for a fixed term.
Semi-presidential democracy
The government depends on a legislative majority to exist. The head of state is popularly elected for a fixed term.
What does a parliamentary democracy consist of?
A prime minister (political chief executive) and a cabinet.
Doctrine of ministerial responsibility
Each minister is directly responsible to the cabinet for what happens in her department
Doctrine of collective cabinet responsibility
A minister might disagree with a policy in cabinet meetings, but once a cabinet decision has been made, each minister must defend the government policy in public
An investiture vote
When a government has to demonstrate that it has the support of a legislative majority before it can take office
Formateur
A chosen politician to initiate the government formation process
Informateur
A person who examines politically feasible coalitions and nominates a formateur
Cartaker government
An interrim government. Cannot make major policy initiatives.
Gamson’s law
A prime minister must give portfolios to other parties in proportion to the number of seats that each party contributes t othe government’s total number of legislative seats
What does a presidential democracy consist of?
The president (political chief executive, head of government and state) and his cabinet
When might coalition governments form in presidential systems?
If the president has a weak decree power and does not control a majority of legislative seats
Two different types of semi-presidential democracy?
Premier-presidential and president-parliamentary
