And why do some countries have both?
2006-07-08 22:39:00 · 7 answers · asked by klunk 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
President: Head of State (i.e. the whole country)
Prime Minister: Head of Current Government (i.e. The Federal Parliament)
In most countries with PM, the position is given to the leader of the party who wins the counrties election. In most countries with P, the positition is given to the person who won a presidential election. In some countries, the P is appointed by the PM. In other countries, the P is known as a Governor-General.
2006-07-08 22:50:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Prime Minister is just a term...many countries have a President and Prime Minister....India for example. And many countries just have a Prime Minister...
If you are referring to the British system then the Prime Minister is in effect the President...but with many differences.....
The prime Minister in England when voted in has the majority in the House of Lords (or is it commons).....no President that's Republican would have the Democrates controlling the senate, not in Brittan anyway.
In England a vote of no confidence can be called by the minority party...and an election must take place.....
All in all, the British Parliamentary system does not give the Prime Minister the power that an American President has.....In order to run a scoundrel like Bush out of office am impeachment has to be declared..not an easy task when the House and Senate are controlled by his party.
Hope this helps!
Master Quark
2006-07-08 22:56:24 · answer #2 · answered by Master Quark 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is like this. President is the head of state. Prime minister is head of government.
A Prime Minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. They are usually, but need not always be, a politician. In many systems the Prime Minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the Government. In most systems they are the presiding member and chairperson of the cabinet. In a minority of systems, notably in semi-presidential system of government, a prime minister is the official who is appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives of the President.
2006-07-08 22:42:07 · answer #3 · answered by Puppy Zwolle 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A President is a head of state, he (or she) is an independant character who authorises certain actions or drives policy. A Prmine Minister is the leader of Parliament, who runs an elected Cabinet and is totally accountable to that Parliament.
Countries rarely have both, but in the cases where they do, power-struggles tend to break out.
2006-07-08 22:44:07 · answer #4 · answered by thomas p 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the constitution of the country.
Among the two major democracies of the world, India has PM as head of the government elected by the people. President is only constitutional head (selected and appointed by the Parliament) and acts on the advice of the PM.
But, in US, the President is directly elected by the people and chooses his cabinet members and has all administrative powers.
2006-07-08 23:07:54 · answer #5 · answered by Electric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Prime Minister is elected by Parliament, which is the only elected body. The figurehead, the queen, signs the bills. She has no veto power! Actually she has little power!
2006-07-08 22:47:23 · answer #6 · answered by cantcu 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it all depends on the constitution of a country and what form of govt. they hav.
2006-07-08 22:44:09 · answer #7 · answered by knu 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋