Pres. vs. PM: What’s the diff?

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The differences between a president and a prime minister vary depending on the country’s government and laws. A president is popularly elected and separate from the legislature, while a prime minister is usually a member of the legislature chosen by that legislature. In a parliamentary government, the prime minister is often appointed by the parliament and leads the government but is accountable to the legislature. A president is usually not accountable to the legislature except in certain circumstances and is popularly elected separately from the legislature. In some countries, the president appoints the prime minister, who is likely to belong to the president’s political party.

The differences between a president and a prime minister largely depend on the countries being referred to. A country might have one or the other – or even both – and their powers can vary depending on the type of government a country has and the specific laws that apply to its government. Some are heads of state and some are simply heads of government, which means they lead the operations of their governments but are not as powerful as heads of state. In general, a president is typically popularly elected and is separate from the country’s legislature, and a prime minister is typically a member of the legislature who is chosen by that legislature to be its leader.

In a parliamentary government, the prime minister is often appointed by the parliament. The nomination will almost always be made by the party that has the largest number of MPs. In this way, citizens who vote for MPs indirectly influence the choice of Prime Minister, because a large number of MPs from the same party will elect a Prime Minister from that party. The prime minister leads parliament and thus is the head of government, but is usually not the head of state – a monarch, president or other official typically fills that role. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, the prime minister is appointed by a monarch, usually on the recommendation of the party that controls parliament.

Many times, the prime minister is the head of the legislature, but he is also accountable to the legislature and may even be ousted from it. He often he has to appear before the legislator on a regular basis, for example once a week, and answer questions relating to his decisions. If lawmakers don’t like the answers, members could decide to elect a new prime minister. Some countries also require an election for prime minister at certain intervals, such as every five years, such as in the United Kingdom

A president usually does not have to answer to the country’s legislative body except in certain circumstances, such as when he is accused of an illegal act, such as the abuse of his power. He or she might make speeches to the legislator and may ask questions, but he or she is not required by law to defend his or her decisions before the legislator. Also, the president is popularly elected separately from the legislature, so he may belong to a different political party than the party that controls the legislature.

In some countries, such as France, the president is elected by the people and must appoint a prime minister. Therefore, the prime minister is likely to belong to the president’s political party. The prime minister in a country that also has a president typically has less power to act than a prime minister in a country whose head of state is mostly a figurehead. Sometimes, a monarch or the ruling family chooses the country’s prime minister. When this is the case, the appointee usually acts in concert with the wishes of the governor or rulers of the country and could ensure that those wishes are carried out by the government.




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