What is a parliamentary system?
A parliamentary system is a form of government in which the head of government, typically a prime minister, is drawn from and remains accountable to the elected legislature, rather than being elected separately as in a presidential system.
Last reviewed . Not yet independently reviewed.
Core tenets
- Executive drawn from the legislature
- The head of government is typically a sitting member of the legislature, selected by it, rather than elected in a wholly separate contest.
- Confidence requirement
- The government remains in office only as long as it retains the confidence of the legislature, and can be removed by a vote of no confidence without waiting for a scheduled election.
- Separate ceremonial head of state
- Many parliamentary systems separate the ceremonial head-of-state role, held by a president or monarch, from the head-of-government role held by the prime minister.
How it works in practice
Parliamentary systems typically fuse executive and legislative authority more closely than a presidential system, with the government's survival directly tied to legislative support.
- Vote of no confidence
- The legislature can formally vote to remove the sitting government, triggering its resignation or new elections, without waiting for a scheduled election date.
- Coalition government
- Since a single party often lacks an outright legislative majority, several parties frequently form a coalition government, negotiating shared governing arrangements.
Common variants
- Westminster-style parliamentary system
- Associated with the United Kingdom, typically featuring strong party discipline and a close fusion of executive and legislative leadership.
- Consensus parliamentary system
- Common in some European countries, often featuring proportional representation and a higher frequency of multi-party coalition government.
What it is often confused with
A parliamentary system is often confused with democracy generally, but the specific defining feature is how the executive is selected and held accountable, tied directly to the legislature, rather than how directly citizens vote.
Criticisms and debates
Criticism of parliamentary systems centers on government stability and the concentration of power when a single party holds a strong majority.
Instability critique
Argues that a government dependent on ongoing legislative confidence can be brought down more easily than a fixed-term presidential executive, potentially producing frequent elections or government turnover, particularly under multi-party coalitions.
Response: Defenders argue that this same mechanism allows a genuinely failing government to be replaced quickly without waiting years for a scheduled election, which they consider a feature of democratic responsiveness rather than a flaw.
Executive dominance critique
Contends that when a single party holds a strong legislative majority, the fusion of executive and legislative power under a parliamentary system can concentrate authority with fewer independent checks than a presidential system's separation of powers provides.
Response: Defenders note that legislative debate, an independent judiciary, and the ongoing need to retain party and coalition support still constrain a parliamentary executive in practice, even under single-party majority government.
Historical examples
- United Kingdom, ongoing
- A foundational and long-running example of a parliamentary system, with the prime minister drawn from and accountable to Parliament.
- Germany, since 1949
- A parliamentary system in which the Chancellor is elected by and accountable to the Bundestag, typically requiring coalition government given its proportional electoral system.
Sources
- 1.Bagehot, Walter. The English Constitution. 1867.
- 2.Linz, Juan. The Perils of Presidentialism. 1990.
- 3.Encyclopaedia Britannica. Parliamentary system.