PLSC 3 Chapter 12: Parliamentary, Presidential, and Semi-Presidential Democracies

Classification of Democracies

• Parliamentary Democracies

  • Government is responsible to the elected legislature.
  • The head of state is not popularly elected for a fixed term.
  • Relies on a legislative majority to exist.

• Presidential Democracies

  • Government is not responsible to the elected legislature.
  • Does not rely on a legislative majority to exist.

• Semi-Presidential Democracies

  • Government is responsible to the elected legislature.
  • The head of state is popularly elected for a fixed term.
  • Depends on a legislative majority to exist.

Legislative Responsibility

• Legislative Responsibility: Power of a legislative majority to remove a government from office without cause.
• Vote of No Confidence: Initiated by the legislature; the government must resign if it fails to obtain a majority.
• Constructive Vote of No Confidence: Must specify who will replace the government if the vote succeeds.
• Vote of Confidence: Initiated by the government; must resign if it does not obtain a legislative majority.

Head of State

• Popularly Elected: Elected directly by voters or through an electoral college.
• Fixed Term: Serves a set period before reappointment is needed.
• Presidents: Present in presidential, semi-presidential, and parliamentary systems.
• Monarchs: Only in parliamentary democracies; not directly elected and no fixed terms.

Parliamentary Democracies

• Government Structure: Comprises a prime minister and the cabinet.
• Prime Minister: Political chief executive and leader of the government.
• Cabinet: Ministers responsible for government departments.
• Ministerial Responsibility: Cabinet ministers are ultimately responsible for their ministries.
• Collective Cabinet Responsibility: Ministers must support collective decisions or resign.
• Election Process: Voters elect representatives, who then form the government.

Bargaining Process

• Free-Style: Head of State swears in government proposed by party elites.
• Formateur: Person designated to form the government.
• Informateur: Evaluates feasible coalitions; nominates a formateur.
• Investiture Vote: Demonstrates majority support.

Caretaker Government

• Appointed between resignation/defeat and new government appointment.

Politician Goals

• Office-Seeking: Focused on obtaining office benefits.
• Policy-Seeking: Aimed at shaping policy.
• Gamson's Law: Cabinet portfolios distributed proportionally to legislative seats contributed.
• Minimal Winning Coalition: Only necessary parties to control a legislative majority.
• Least Minimal Winning Coalition: Smallest coalition needed to form a majority.

Semi-Presidential Democracies

• Government Structure: Prime Minister and Cabinet, with an elected President.
• Premier-Presidential System: Government responsible to legislature, not president.
• President-Parliamentary System: Government responsible to both legislature and president.

Cohabitation

• Occurs when the president's party lacks a legislative majority, requiring coalition with another party to appoint a formateur.