presidential system

(noun)

A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch is led by a president who serves as both head of state and head of government. In such a system, this branch exists separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which it cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss.

Related Terms

Examples of presidential system in the following topics:

  • Head of State

    • A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch is led by a president who serves as both head of state and head of government .
    • In the 1870s, in the aftermath of the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson and his near-removal from office, it was speculated that the United States, too, would move from a presidential system to a semi-presidential or even parliamentary one.
    • In presidential systems, such as that of the United States, appointments are nominated by the President's sole discretion, but this nomination is often subject to parliamentary confirmation (in the case of the US, the Senate has to approve cabinet nominees and judicial appointments by simple majority).
    • Moreover, in presidential systems, the president often has the power to fire ministers at his sole discretion.
    • Even in presidential systems the head of state often formally reports to the legislature on the present national status, e.g. the State of the Union address in the United States of America.

  • Chief Executive

    • Chief Executive is a term commonly used to refer to Presidential powers given by the Constitution.
    • It is commonly used to refer to Presidential powers given by the constitution.
    • This is in contrast to a presidential system in a democracy, where the head of state often is also the head of government, and most importantly: the executive branch does not derive its democratic legitimacy from the legislature.
    • The Parliamentary system can be contrasted with a presidential system which operates under a stricter separation of powers, whereby the executive does not form part of, nor is appointed by, the parliamentary or legislative body.
    • Since the legislative branch has more power over the executive branch in a parliamentary system, a notable amount of studies by political scientists have shown that parliamentary systems show lower levels of corruption than presidential systems of government.

  • The Two-Party System

    • These two parties have won every United States presidential election since 1852 and have controlled the United States Congress to some extent since at least 1856.
    • In the U.S., forty-eight states have a standard winner-takes-all electoral system for amassing presidential votes in the Electoral College system.
    • The winner–takes–all principle applies in presidential elections, thus if a presidential candidate gets the most votes in any particular state, all of the electoral votes from that state are awarded to the candidate.
    • In all but Maine and Nebraska, the presidential candidate must win a plurality of votes to wins all of the electoral votes; this practice is called the unit rule.
    • There are two main reasons winner–takes–all systems lead to a two-party system.

  • Presidential Candidates

    • Presidential candidates seek the highest office of the executive branch of government and carry out campaigns in pursuit of election.
    • Elections may depend upon a candidate, or a person who is seeking presidential office, winning the popular vote.
    • The United States has generally embraced a two party political system, in which two primary candidates seek the office of president.
    • As a result of the cost of presidential campaigns, many U.S. presidential candidates tend to be wealthy.
    • Assess the costs and benefits -- to candidates and the public -- of the two party system

  • The General Election Campaign

    • The presidential general election occurs after the primary season and is the process through which a national vote chooses the president.
    • In the United States, a presidential election is held every four years and includes both a primary season and a general election.
    • The winner of a presidential general election is not simply the person who receives the majority of votes nationwide.
    • Under this system, statewide elections take place in which voters cast ballots for candidates.
    • In the presidential general election, the winner is determined based on who receives the greatest number of votes in the Electoral College system.

  • Eligibility

    • Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was born in Mexico to American parents, illustrating that natural born citizenship does not depend on place of birth, but rather whether one is entitled to citizenship at birth.
    • In partisan election systems, such as those in place for U.S.
    • Presidential and Congressional elections, the only people eligible to run in a general election are those nominated by a political party or who have successfully petitioned to be on the ballot.
    • Virtually all electoral systems, whether partisan or non-partisan, have some minimum eligibility requirements to run for office.
    • Presidential campaigns, candidates must be at least 35 years old.

  • The Electoral College

    • Thus, though many people do not realize it, Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections are determined not by a popular vote.
    • Voters in each state and the District of Columbia cast ballots selecting electors pledged to presidential and vice presidential candidates.
    • They argue that the two party system has provided stability through its ability to change during times of rapid political and cultural change.
    • In the presidential general election, the winner is determined based on who receives the greatest number of votes in the Electoral College system.
    • Assess the compatibility of the Electoral College system with the nation's federalist and democratic commitments

  • Electing Candidates

    • Electoral systems then determine the result of the election on the basis of the tally.
    • Most electoral systems can be categorized as either proportional or majoritarian.
    • For example, in the United States presidential elections are dependent upon the allocation of delegates from the electoral college.
    • The number of delegates that each state has is proportional to the state's population, but all of a state's delegates are assigned to the presidential candidate who wins the majority of votes in the state.
    • Many electoral systems require voters to cast ballots at official, regulated polling places.

  • Uniting Competing Factions Within the Party

    • Meanwhile, the Republican Party tends to favor a more conservative view advocating a free market economic system and limited government intervention in the lives of citizens.
    • Platforms are created during presidential nominating conventions where delegates have an opportunity to vote on salient issues.
    • These votes present a majority view on how issues should be handled and how they can be used by the presidential candidate to unite divergent viewpoints under one popular view.
    • Platforms created during presidential nominating conventions unite diverse factions within a party by adopting middle-of-the-road positions on issues and addressing special interest groups in some sections.

  • Checking the Power of the Governing Party

    • The Senate has the power to consider presidential appointments of judges and executive department heads.
    • The House and Senate may, additionally, override presidential vetoes and have the sole power to declare war.
    • While the checks and balances system between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches prevents any one branch from becoming tyrannical, this system has also been criticized for maintaining the status quo in government rather than promoting changes.
    • Describe the relationship between the political parties and a system of checks and balances