Parliamentary Vs Presidential system

Parliamentary form of government:

Parliamentary government is a democratic form of government in which the political party that
wins the most seats in the legislature or parliament during the federal election forms the
government. This majority party will choose a leader to be the Prime Minister or Chancellor, and
other high-ranking members of the party make up the cabinet. The minority party forms the
opposition, and its job is to challenge the majority party. If no party is able to win a majority in
the election, a coalition government will be formed with a few political parties cooperating
together. It's called 'parliamentary government' because all of the power is vested in the
parliament. In a presidential system like the United States, the executive branch is separate, and
the president is popularly elected by the citizens of the nation. In a parliamentary system, the
head of the government is chosen from the parliament and is often one of the most senior
members or ministers in parliament, which is where we get the term 'Prime Minister'. Often in a
parliamentary system, the country will have a Head of State, who is a ceremonial figure like the
Queen, but does not engage in legislating or politics.
Features of Parliamentary Government:
Nominal or Titular Head: In a Parliamentary form of government, there two heads, namely,
nominal and real. The nominal head is one who, though head of the state, is not head of
government. His powers are more apparent than real. He may be hereditary or elected.
Collective Responsibility and Individual Responsibility: The Ministers are collectively
responsible to the lower house of the legislature. It takes policy decisions collectively and it
collectively goes out of office when it loses the confidence of the lower house of the legislature.
Political Homogeneity: The ministers, normally being members of political party, share the
same ideology and approach. Even when there is a c government, the ministers are committed to
a common minimum program.
Harmony between Executive and Legislature: In a Parliamentary government the ministers
are drawn from the legislature. As ministers, they are part of the executive. They also remain
members of the legislature. Thus, the dual identity of ministers come to a harmonious
relationship between the executive and the legislature. Thus, it can be said that there is a fusion
of power between the legislature and executive.
Rigidity of Party Discipline: In a Parliamentary government, the party discipline is rigid. The
members of a political party whether in power or in opposition are required to defend and
support the stand of their party on any issue both in the legislature and outside.
Majority Party Rule: The party which wins majority seats in the elections of the Lower House
forms the government. In India, the President invites the leader of the majority party in Lok
Sabha to form the government. The President appoints the leader as the Prime Minister and the
other ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. The President
may invite a coalition of parties to form the government, in case, no party has got majority.
Bicameral Legislature: Most of the countries following parliamentary system, including India,
have bicameral legislature. The members of the Lower House of all these countries are elected
by the people. The Lower House can be dissolved, in case, the term of the government is over or
there is no scope of government formation due to lack of majority in house. In India, the
President can dissolve the Lok Sabha on recommendation of the Prime Minister.
Secrecy: The members of the executive in this system have to follow the principle of secrecy in
matters such as proceedings, executive meetings, policymaking etc. In India, the ministers take
oath of secrecy before entering their office.
Advantages of Parliamentary System
The parliamentary system has the following advantages over the presidential system:
1. Represents Diverse Group: The parliamentary form of government provides opportunity to
various ethnically, racially, linguistically and ideologically diverse groups to share their views in
framing of laws and policymaking. Countries, such as India, which have high level of diversity
enables accommodation by providing political space to various diverse sections of the society.
2. Better Co-Ordination Between Legislature and Executive: The executive is a part of the
legislature. As the government enjoys the support of majority of members in the lower house, the
tendency of disputes and conflicts decreases. It makes easy for the government to pass the
legislation in the parliament and implement them.
3. Prevents Authoritarianism: In a parliamentary system, the tendency of authoritarianism
decreases as the power is vested in the council of minister rather than a single individual. The
parliament can remove the government through no-confidence motion.
4. Responsible Government: The parliament can check the activities of the executive as the
latter is responsible to the former. In a presidential system, the president is not responsible to the
legislature. The members of the parliament can ask question, move resolutions, and discuss
matters of public importance to pressurize the government. Such provisions are not available in
Presidential system.
5. Availability of Alternate Government: The lower house of the parliament can introduce and
pass a no-confidence motion. In such a situation, the head of the state invites the leader of the
opposition party to form the government. In the United Kingdom, the opposition forms a shadow
cabinet for the cabinet of the government, so that they can become ready for the role.
Disadvantages of Parliamentary System:
1. There is no proper separation of power in such system of government. In such
system, the cabinet constitutes the political executive while retaining their seats and
power in the Parliament. Hence, this system witnesses the fusion of powers between the
executive and the legislature. Furthermore, lack of separation of power between the
wings of the government results in abuse of power that leads to arbitrariness.
 2. Parliamentary system is not suitable for the implementation and formulation of
long-term policies. This is due to the uncertainty and temporary nature of the
government’s tenure. It is always seen that change in the ruling party brings change in the
policies of the government. For instance, the Janata Government headed by Morarji Desai
in the year 1977 changed several policies of the previous Congress Government. Similar
issue was witnessed during the rule of Congress government when it again came back in
power.
3. Parliamentary System often leads to dictatorship of the government. This happen
when the ruling party wins the election with absolute majority in the Parliament. In such
cases, the party tends to become autocratic and exercises unlimited power. According to
H.J. Laski, Parliamentary system gives the executive an opportunity to become tyranny.
Such dictatorship of the cabinet was seen during the governance of Indira Gandhi and
Rajiv Gandhi.
4. The Parliamentary System fails to provide a stable government. Although it provides
a fixed tenure but there is no guarantee that the government can survive its tenure. In this
system, the executives depend on the will and majority of the legislature. No-confidence
motion, political defection and evils of multi-party coalition system has resulted in the
stable government.
It is to be noted that Parliamentary system is led by a party that aims to protect its own interests.
It is often seen that the interest of the nation tends to be ignored for the interest of the party. In
many occasions, the Parliamentary system of government has become a government for the party
and of the party.

Presidential system of government:

Meaning of Presidential Government:
According to Dr. Garner, “Presidential Government is that system in which the
executive(including both the Head of the State and his ministers) is constitutionally independent
of the legislature in respect to the duration of his or their tenure and irresponsible to it for his or
their political policies.
In such a system the chief of the state is not merely the titular executive, but he is real executive
and actually exercises the powers which the constitution and laws confer upon him”.
In this system the President enjoys real powers of the government. He is not responsible to the
legislature for his administration and policies.
Features of Presidential System:
1. Real head of the state: in this system the head of the state is the real executive head.
2. Seperation of powers: the presidential form of government is based on the principle of
separation of power among the three organs of the government. The executive is not
 responsible to legislature. The executive cannot dissolve the legislature. And the judiciary is
independent from executive and legislature.
3. Principle of checks and balances: All the three organs of the government is separated from
each other but all are checking each other and restraining each other from any type of
transgression of their power and functions.
4. Superior position of president: the president occupies a superior position because all the
power of the government are concentrated with him.
5. Political homogeneity not necessary: it is not necessary that all cabinet should belong to
same political party.
Features of Presidential form of government:
1. The head of the state enjoys real powers. These powers are vested in him by constitution or
ordinary laws and can exercise these powers on his own.
2. The presidential form of government is based on separation of powers. The three organs
of government stand independent of each other. The president and his ministers cannot be the
members of the legislature nor are they accountable to it.
3. The cabinet under presidential system consists of nominees of the president. They remain
in office as long as accountable to the president rather than legislature.
4. The president can appoint secretaries or ministers to assist him, but they are merely
advisors and act according to his instructions. The president can also remove them from their
post any time he likes.
5. Under presidential system the head of the state enjoys a fixed tenure and cannot be removed
from office before the expiry of the fixed tenure. He can be removed from the office through a
very special and complicated procedure of impeachment.
Merits of Presidential Form of Government:
1. Stable government: president is elected for fixed tenure of four years. His fixed tenure brings
stability and efficiency in the administration.
2. Separation of power: This checks the despotism of any branch of the government and
ensures citizens’ rights and liberties.
3. Suitable in emergency: Since the president is head of the state and government, he can take
important decisions promptly and effectively.
4. Government by able men: the president generally makes the appointment of experts to head
the portfolios without any consideration of party affinity.
Demerits Of Presidential Form Of Government:
 1. Executive may become despotic: President enjoy vast power and his tenure is fixed.So there
is every possibility that he may act like despot.
2. Deadlocks between the organs: there is every possibility of deadlock between executive and
legislature.
3. The checks and balance is antithetical to economic planning.
4. Rigidity of constitution is also criticized because flexibility is required to cope with the
changing circumstances.
5. Less possibility of enactment of good laws as there is less harmony between executive and
legislature.
However, despite above weaknesses, the presidential system of government proves to be
successful in United States of America.