Eleanor Finch
The method of choosing a country's head of government depends on its political system. In a democracy, the head of government is elected directly by popular vote or indirectly by voter proxies, as in the case of the United States' electoral college system. In nondemocratic or semidemocratic countries, the position may be inherited, as in the case of monarchies, or appointed or self-appointed, as in military dictatorships. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is usually the leader of the majority party or coalition and is accountable to the legislature, which can dismiss them with a simple majority. In a presidential system, the head of government is directly or indirectly elected by a group of citizens and is not responsible to the legislature, which cannot dismiss them except in extraordinary cases.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of government | Democracy, semi-democracy, monarchy, military dictatorship, communist, etc. |
| Type of election | Direct, Indirect |
| Election process | Popular vote, electoral college, appointed, self-appointed, etc. |
| Head of government | President, prime minister, chancellor, secretary of state, etc. |
| Head of state | Monarch, President, prime minister, etc. |
| System of government | Parliamentary, directorial, semi-presidential, Presidential, etc. |
| Election by | Voters, voter proxies, head of state, national legislature, etc. |
| Election requirements | Majority support in the legislature, majority in the national assembly, etc. |
| Removal from power | Defeat in a general election, loss of majority support in the legislature, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Directly elected by popular vote
In a democracy, the head of government is directly elected by popular vote. This is the case in presidential systems, where the head of government, often also the head of state, is elected by citizens to serve one or more fixed terms. This is considered more democratic as it provides a broader mandate for the president, who is not responsible to the legislature and cannot be dismissed by it except in extraordinary cases. The presidential system is defined by the separation of the executive branch from other aspects of government, and the president may have powers such as the ability to veto legislation, the power to pardon crimes, and authority over foreign policy and the military.
The head of state in a presidential system can be called a president, chancellor, or prime minister, and their authority and relationship with other institutions vary depending on the specific government system. In some cases, the president is the public persona of a sovereign state, and their powers can range from being the head of government to being a ceremonial figurehead. In a few cases, like in South Africa, the president is both the head of state and the head of government.
In a parliamentary system, the head of government is typically chosen by the national legislature, usually through majority party selection. The head of government is usually the leader of the party with the most seats in the legislature and is accountable to the legislature, which can dismiss them with a simple majority. In a parliamentary democracy, the head of government is typically the prime minister, who is invited to form a government based on the strength of party support in the lower house.
While most democracies have separate offices for a president and a prime minister, with distinct powers and electoral processes, there are some exceptions. For example, in semi-presidential systems like France, the president and prime minister share powers, and in some parliamentary systems, like South Africa, the president is both the head of state and the head of government.
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Indirectly elected by voter proxies
In a democracy, the head of government can be elected either directly by popular vote or indirectly by voter proxies. An example of the latter is the electoral college system of the United States, where eligible members of the public vote for electors who have pledged their support for a particular candidate. The candidate who wins a majority of the members of the Electoral College is then formally elected.
In a semi-presidential system, the head of government is chosen by the president but must be able to gain support in the National Assembly. For instance, in France, if the president is from one side of the political spectrum and the opposition is in control of the legislature, the president must select a prime minister from the opposition. This process is known as cohabitation.
In a parliamentary system, the head of government is usually the leader of the party with the most seats in the legislature. In some cases, if no party achieves an outright majority, a coalition may be formed to establish a majority, and a prime minister is chosen from among the coalition members.
Indirect elections can have lower political accountability and responsiveness compared to direct elections.
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Appointed by a head of state
In semi-constitutional or absolute monarchies, the monarch has the right to appoint a separate head of government. For example, the absolute monarch of Saudi Arabia has often chosen to act as the country's prime minister, but in 2022, King Salman bin Abdulaziz appointed his heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to that office. In the semi-constitutional monarchy of Qatar, the ruling emir is required by the constitution to appoint a prime minister.
In semi-presidential systems, the head of government may answer to both the head of state and the legislature, with the specifics provided by each country's constitution. In France, the president, the head of state, appoints the prime minister, who is the head of government. The president must choose someone who can act effectively as an executive but who also enjoys the support of the National Assembly. In some cases, the head of state may represent one political party, but the majority in the National Assembly is of a different party. This means the president is effectively forced to choose a prime minister from the opposition party to ensure an effective, functioning legislature.
In some parliamentary systems, the head of state is not the head of government but still holds significant powers, for example, Morocco. In a parliamentary system, such as India or the United Kingdom, the head of state usually has mostly ceremonial powers, with a separate head of government. However, in some parliamentary systems, like South Africa, there is an executive president that is both head of state and head of government.
In some models, the head of state and head of government are one and the same. These include a single chief political body, such as a presidium, which collectively leads the government and provides the ceremonial head of state. The only state in which this system is currently employed is Switzerland, but other countries such as Uruguay have employed it in the past. This system is described as the directorial system.
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Appointed by a ruling monarch
In nondemocratic or semidemocratic countries, the position of head of government may be inherited, as in the case of monarchies, or appointed by a ruling monarch. In constitutional monarchies, the head of government is typically the de facto political leader, answerable to the legislature, while the monarch acts as the head of state and may take on the role of chief executive on limited occasions.
In semi-constitutional or absolute monarchies, the monarch has the right to exercise or distribute responsibility for state executive functions. They may choose to appoint a separate head of government, as seen in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the absolute monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, appointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Prime Minister in 2022. In the semi-constitutional monarchy of Qatar, the ruling emir is constitutionally required to appoint a prime minister.
In some parliamentary systems, such as South Africa, there is an executive president who serves as both head of state and head of government. In other parliamentary systems, like India and the United Kingdom, the head of state, typically the monarch, holds mostly ceremonial powers, with a separate head of government. For example, in the United Kingdom, the monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties, acting as a figurehead for national identity, unity, and pride.
While the head of government in a parliamentary system is usually the leader of the majority party or coalition, the specific process of selection can vary. In some cases, the head of government is directly elected by parliament, while in other cases, they are appointed by the head of state or monarch.
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Elected by the national legislature
The head of government is the highest office in the government of a sovereign state and exercises practical political power. In some countries, the head of state and head of government are the same person. For example, Switzerland employs a directorial system where a single chief political body collectively leads the government and provides the ceremonial head of state.
In many countries, the head of government is commissioned by the head of state to form a government, based on the strength of party support in the lower house. However, in some other states, the head of government is directly elected by the national legislature.
In parliamentary systems, the head of government is usually the leader of the majority party or coalition and forms the government, which is answerable to the legislature. The head of government is accountable to the legislature and must have majority support. The legislature also has the right to vote down the head of government and their cabinet, forcing them either to resign or seek a parliamentary dissolution.
In semi-presidential systems, the head of government may answer to both the head of state and the legislature, with the specifics outlined in the country's constitution. For example, in France, the president (the head of state) appoints the prime minister (the head of government) but must choose someone who can gain support in the National Assembly.
In some countries, the head of government is elected by the national legislature. For example, in South Africa, the president is elected by the National Assembly (the legislature) and is recognised as both the head of state and the head of government. The president of Botswana is also elected in this way.
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Frequently asked questions
The head of government in a democracy is chosen either directly by popular vote or indirectly by voter proxies.
In nondemocratic or semidemocratic countries, the position of the head of government may be inherited, as in the case of monarchies, or appointed or self-appointed, as in military dictatorships.
In a presidential system, the head of government is directly or indirectly elected by a group of citizens and is not responsible to the legislature.
In a parliamentary system, the head of government is typically chosen by the national legislature, usually through majority party selection.
In a semi-presidential system, the government is answerable to both the president and the legislature. The president is required to select a prime minister who can gain support in the National Assembly.
