Presidential System of Government – SS1 Government Lesson Note (Second Term)

The presidential system of government is a system in which one person is both the head of state and the head of government.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define the presidential system of government.
2. Name countries that practise the presidential system.
3. State the characteristics of the presidential system.
4. Explain the merits of the presidential system.
5. State the demerits of the presidential system.
6. Distinguish the presidential system from the parliamentary system.

What is the presidential system of government?

The presidential system is a single executive system in which the president holds all executive power and is elected separately from the legislature.

• One leader: the president is the symbol of the nation and also runs the government.
• Separate arms: the executive, legislature and judiciary work independently of one another.
• Written constitution: the powers of each arm are set out in the constitution.
• Nigerian example: the President of Nigeria is both head of state and head of government.

What are the key terms in the presidential system?

• Head of state: the symbol of the nation who represents it at home and abroad.
• Head of government: the leader who runs the daily business of government.
• Executive: the arm of government that carries out laws, headed by the president.
• Legislature: the arm that makes laws, such as the National Assembly in Nigeria.
• Judiciary: the arm that interprets laws and settles disputes, made up of the courts.
• Separation of power: the sharing of government functions among the executive, legislature and judiciary.
• Checks and balances: ways in which each arm limits the power of the other arms.
• Impeachment: the process of removing a president or other office holder for serious misconduct.

Which countries practise the presidential system?

Nigeria, the USA and the Philippines are examples of countries with presidential constitutions.

• Nigeria: the president is head of state and head of government.
• The USA: the best-known example of the system.
• The Philippines: an Asian country with a presidential constitution.
• Ghana and Brazil: other countries commonly listed as presidential.

What are the characteristics of the presidential system of government?

The main characteristics are a single executive, separation of power and checks and balances.

1. Single executive: all executive power is vested in the president.
2. Checks and balances: the system of checks and balances is pronounced.
3. Separate membership: the president and ministers are not members of the legislature.
4. Party independence: the president does not need to come from the party which has the majority in the legislature.
5. Outside appointments: the president can appoint some ministers from outside the party.
6. Separation of power: there is a clear-cut separation of power among the three arms.
7. Impeachment: the president can be removed through impeachment.
8. Weak party discipline: members of the legislature are not bound to follow the president’s party line.

How do checks and balances work?

Checks and balances stop any one arm of government from becoming too powerful by giving each arm a way to limit the others.

How is a president removed by impeachment?

Impeachment is the legal process by which the legislature removes a president for serious misconduct.

1. Members of the legislature accuse the president of serious misconduct.
2. The accusation is investigated according to the procedure in the constitution.
3. The legislature votes on the findings, and a large majority is required.
4. If the vote succeeds, the president is removed from office.

What is the difference between the presidential and parliamentary systems?

In the presidential system, one elected president heads both state and government. In the parliamentary system, a prime minister runs the government and is chosen from the legislature.

What are the merits of a presidential system of government?

The merits are the advantages that make the system attractive to many countries.

1. Symbol of unity: the whole country is the president’s constituency.
2. Quick decisions: it facilitates quick decision-making and provides effective leadership.
3. Clear responsibility: the president receives praise and blame for the activities of the administration.
4. Use of experts: the president can bring in needed experts from outside the party system.
5. Check on dictatorship: separation of power can prevent the government from becoming a dictatorship.
6. Accountable ministers: individual ministers are accountable for their deeds and misdeeds.

What are the demerits of a presidential system of government?

The demerits are the weaknesses of the system.

1. Deadlock: the executive and the legislature may disagree and delay important laws.
2. Too much power: one person holds great power and may abuse it.
3. Slow lawmaking: bills must pass through several stages before they become law.
4. High cost: running three separate arms of government is expensive.
5. Difficult removal: a weak or unpopular president cannot be removed easily, because impeachment is a long process.

Evaluation

1. Define the presidential system of government.
2. Name three countries that practise the presidential system.
3. State five characteristics of the presidential system.
4. Explain three merits of the presidential system.
5. State two demerits of the presidential system.

Assignment

1. Explain, in your own words, how separation of power and the power of impeachment limit the president in a presidential system.