1. • Presidential-- a system of government in
which the executive branch (president) exists
separately from the legislature
• Citizens vote for leader
•Examples: Russia, US
• Parliamentary – citizens elect
legislature, legislature selects the leader
•United Kingdom, Germany

2. Parliamentary
System
Executive
Legislature
Select
Executive
Presidential System
Elect
Legislature
Citizens
Citizens

3. • There are TWO types of Democratic
governments in the world
• 1. Presidential
2. Parliamentary
• Sounds easy enough. So if you have a
president, you’re Presidential and if you have a
parliament, you’re Parliamentary??
• Ehhh…not exactly. Let me explain…

4. • Citizens vote for members of the legislative
branch, and then the legislature chooses the
leader
• The citizens DO NOT get to directly choose the
leader
• They have to vote on members of legislature
first, and then those representatives choose
the leader
• Head of government and head of state are
TWO different people
Examples: United Kingdom, Germany,

5. • Citizens usually vote for members of the
executive AND legislative branch
• Citizens directly vote for the leader
• A single person is elected as the leader
• This person is both head of government (chief
executive) and head of state
Examples: U.S.A., Russia, Mexico

6. • Unique thing about this type: there’s a
separation of powers between the
branches of government
• The leader is constitutionally
independent of the legislature
• Example: the leader does not make the
laws, the legislature does

7. • Parliamentary: Citizens do not vote
directly for the leader. They vote on the
legislature, then the legislature chooses
the leader.
• Presidential: Citizens directly vote on the
leader.