A Presidential System, or Single Executive System, is a form of government in which a head of government, typically with the title of president, leads an executive branch that is separate from the legislative branch in systems that use separation of powers.
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Types of Presidential Systems
Pure Presidential System: This is a system where the president is the head of state and government, and has full executive powers. The president is directly elected by the people and is not accountable to the legislature. E.g USA
Semi-Presidential System: This is a system where the president is the head of state, and a prime minister is the head of government. The president is directly elected by the people, while the prime minister is appointed by the president or approved by the legislature. E.g., Russia.
Parliamentary-Presidential System: This is a system where the president is the head of state, but the prime minister is the head of government and has more executive powers than the president. The president is elected by the people or the legislature, while the prime minister is appointed by the president or elected by the legislature.
Features of the Presidential System
- The President is both the head of the State as well as the head of government. As the head of State, he occupies a ceremonial position. As the head of government, he leads the executive organ of the government.
- The President is elected by an electoral college for a fixed tenure. He cannot be removed by the Legislature
except by impeachment for a grave unconstitutional act. - The President governs with the help of a cabinet or a smaller body called ‘Kitchen Cabinet’. It is only an advisory body and consists of non-elected departmental secretaries. They are selected and appointed by him, are responsible only to him, and can be removed by Him any time.
- The President and his secretaries are not responsible to Congress for their acts. They neither possess membership in the Congress nor attend its sessions.
- The doctrine of separation of powers is the basis of the American presidential system. The legislative, executive and judicial powers of the government are separated and vested in the three independent organs of the government.
Benefits of the Presidential System
First, significant presidential powers give a singular executive the ability to make decisions and implement policies, resulting in strong and resolute leadership. In times of crisis, this type of leadership can prove especially advantageous for swiftly enacting necessary actions.
Second, a more balanced and stable government can be achieved by separating the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government in a presidential system, which avoids any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Third, the citizens’ direct election of the president in a presidential system breeds direct accountability, as the nation’s leader is thus held responsible for their actions. This instils a potent sense of legitimacy that can aid in guaranteeing governmental responsiveness to the desires and needs of its people.
Fourth, in terms of stability, the presidential system surpasses the parliamentary one. The presidential system does not rely on legislative support to maintain its power, which prevents frequent government changes and ensures policy-making remains continuous.
Fifth, the implementation of policies is the clear responsibility of the president in a presidential system, giving him defined lines of authority. This streamlined decision-making process can improve efficiency and effectiveness by reducing bureaucracy and eliminating unnecessary layers of decision-making.
Demerits of the Presidential System
First, the rigidity of presidential systems can be attributed to the immense power vested in the president, which causes them to be less malleable in response to shifting conditions or citizen sentiments. Parliamentary systems, however, are characteristically more adaptable because they afford a greater level of responsiveness to evolving circumstances.
Second, difficulties can arise when it comes to passing legislation in a presidential system, particularly when the president and legislature belong to opposing parties. This can result in gridlock, which can be frustrating for everyone involved.
Third, there is a fundamental flaw in the present political system is a scarce amount of responsibility. The people directly elect the president, but the president is not as accountable to the legislature as in a parliamentary system. This shortage of checks and balances can result in a limited level of oversight.
Fourth, the principles of democracy can easily be undermined by authoritarianism, which may emerge from a potent presidency. Such abuse of power poses a risk that can be damaging to the foundation of democracy.
Fifth, with a greater need for bureaucracy and decision-making layers, presidential systems tend to be more costly to run compared to parliamentary systems. The expenditure factor is a crucial point to bear in mind.
Why India should adopt a Presidential form of Government?
- India’s governance challenges may benefit from a presidential system, according to its advocates, since it could offer stronger and more stable executive leadership. An elected president could provide clear direction with a mandate from the people, resulting in more decisive leadership.
- As a potential benefit, a presidential system could establish clearer lines of authority, which in turn might help reduce bureaucracy and streamline decision-making. Moreover, direct accountability to the people could be achieved by the president under this system for their actions and decisions, possibly improving overall accountability.
- A presidential system has supporters who believe that it can bring about more consistency and durability in policymaking. According to them, an elected leader can enjoy a set term in office, free from the uncertainties of motions of no confidence or other parliamentary practices that can potentially cut short their tenure.
Why India should not adopt a Presidential form of Government?
- India is a diverse country and a Parliamentary system with the council of ministers with the Prime minister as the head can cater for this effectively.
- Due to a large number of parties and maturing stage of democracy, It is preferable to continue with a parliamentary form of government as it provides stability in the administration.
- A shift will create legal issues as the Parliamentary System is the basic structure of the constitution. A transition may not be smooth and create maladministration in country.
- Since we are continuing with the Parliamentary system after independence. All the learning and experiences will not be utilised effectively..
Parliamentary System: Read here
