Anything Under the Sun
Union of powers
After discussing the main aspects of the presidential system of government, let us now go to the parliamentary form. This system has also three government departments.
Generally, its legislative department is called Parliament and is usually unicameral (one house). Its executive is the Prime Minister assisted by his cabinet, and its judiciary is composed of the courts.
Instead of the separation of power as in the presidential form, the parliamentary form operates on the principle of union of powers. This is because the Prime Minister is elected by the Parliament from among its members who in turn appoints Members of the Parliament to his Cabinet.
Because the Prime Minister and his cabinet are also Members of the Parliament, so there is a union of powers of the legislative and the executive.
Under this arrangement, there is also checks and balances within the Parliament itself. If the Prime Minister and his cabinet abuse their powers, the Parliamentary may render a no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister and elect a new one to replace him.
On the other hand, if the Parliament abuses its powers, the Prime Minister may dissolve it and the terms of the office of the Members of the Parliament will be shortened because an election will be held to elect new members of the Parliament. The Prime Minister usually dissolves the Parliament if he does not see eye to eye with the Members of the Parliament on vital issues.
This practice had resulted in many countries' frequent elections.
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The first set of five booklets (Books 1-5) of West Visayas Beautiful and Wonderful, authored by this writer is now available for P500 at his office address at No. 4 Sta. Ana St., Molo, Iloilo City, 5000. We are starting the second set (Books 6 to 10) this January.