The Presidential System

1
The Presidential System

• By Juan Fabian and Tiffany Aluko

2
What is The Presidential System?

• A presidential system, also known as the
  congressional system, is system of government of
  a republic where the executive branch is elected
  separately from the legislative.
• The presidential is used in the U.S., Inodesia,
  Philippines, Mexico, S. Korea and in some parts
  of S. America.

3
Features of the presidential system

• The president is both head of state and head of
  government.
• The president has a fixed term of office.
• The executive is unipersonal.
• Members of the cabinet serve at the pleasure of
  the president and must carry out the presidents
  policy.

4
Types of Presidents

• Many countries with a president as head of state
  do not operate under what is described as a
  presidential system.
• Head of state Head of government - role
  generally includes personifying the continuity
  and legitimacy of the state and exercising the
  political powers. Also, both held by the
  president.
• Monarch one who reigns over a state or
  territory, usually for life and by hereditary
  right.

5
Perceived Advantages of the presidential systems

• Direct Mandate
• Separation of powers
• Speed and decisiveness
• Stability

6
Direct Mandate

• In a presidential system, the president is
  generally elected directly by the people. To
  some, this makes the presidents power more
  legitimate more than that of a leader appointed
  indirectly.

7
Separation of powers

• A presidential system establishes the presidency
  and the legislature as two parallel structures.
  Supporters of the system claim that this
  arrangement allows each structure to supervise
  the other, preventing abuses.

8
Speed and decisiveness

• Some argue that a president with strong powers
  can usually enact changes quickly, and that this
  is a good thing. Others argue that the separation
  of powers slows the system down, and that this is
  a good thing.

9
Stability

• A president, by virtue of a fixed term, may
  provide more stability than a prime minister who
  can be dismissed at any time.

10
Perceived disadvantages of the presidential system

• Tendency towards authoritarianism
• Separation of powers
• Impediments to leadership change

11
Tendency to authoritarianism

• Some political scientists say that the
  presidentialism is not constitutionally stable.
  According to some political scientists, such as
  Fred Riggs, presidentialism has fallen into
  authoritarianism in every country it has been
  attempted, except the United States.

12
Separation of powers

• A presidential system establishes the presidency
  and the legislature as two parallel structures.
  Critics argue that this creates undesirable
  gridlock, and that it reduces accountability by
  allowing the president and the legislature to
  shift blame to each other.

13
Impediments to leadership change

• It is claimed that the difficulty in removing an
  unsuitable president from office before his or
  her term has expired represents a significant
  problem.

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The End