The Key Contrast between Parliamentary and Presidential Systems
The key contrast between parliamentary and presidential systems is that in the presidential system, the President, who is usually the executive's leader, is chosen directly by registered voters (Gerring, Thacker and Moreno 330). The president will be selected by the delegates or representatives elected to represent people from different states. In the parliamentary structure, on the other hand, the Prime Minister, who is the executive's representative, is elected directly by the legislative branch.
The Drawback of the Presidential Structure
The biggest drawback of the presidential structure is that it effectively ensures "Checks and Balances." This scheme, however, faces a legislative challenge. Whenever the President and the legislative body have different beliefs or ideologies, it becomes difficult for such kind of a government to enact laws (Gerring, Thacker, and Moreno 337).
The Advantage of the Parliamentary System
Conversely, the good part of the parliamentary system is that it can enact legislation quickly since the enactment of laws does not depend entirely on the ascent of the executive leader. Nevertheless, the demerit of the parliamentary system is that if the legislature does not like the prime minister, then they can easily dethrone him or her through casting a vote of no confidence (Gerring, Thacker, and Moreno 343).
Whereas the presidential system of government where the president and the congress belong to the same party would ensure easy Checks and Balances, it would be imperative to have the president and the Congress from different parties. The mixture will not only enhance unity within the national government but also ensure that the differences and the ideologies in different political parties are addressed fully.
Work Cited
Gerring, John, Strom C. Thacker, and Carola Moreno. “Are Parliamentary Systems Better?” Comparative Political Studies 42.3 (2009): 327–359. Web.
