What is the role of the head of state in a parliamentary system?
|
Find out how the Singapore Government works, including the three organs of state - the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary. The Prime Minister is the effective head of the Executive branch. Show
Singapore is a sovereign republic. When it became an independent and sovereign nation in 1965, it inherited a legal system that is based on the English law. The legal system has since evolved to meet the needs of Singapore and to reflect the political system within which it operates. In November 1993, the Application of English Law Act came into force. This Act clarifies the application of English law and statutes in Singapore. The organs of government are provided for by a written constitution which forms the supreme law of Singapore. The Constitution lays down the fundamental principles and basic framework for the three organs of state, namely, the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary. The Head of State of Singapore is a President who is directly elected by the people, following fundamental constitutional changes in 1991. The President possesses certain veto powers over the government which the President can exercise with discretion in certain circumstances. Outside of those areas where the Constitution permits the President discretionary powers, the President must act according to Cabinet advice. The Executive comprises the Cabinet, which is responsible for the general direction of the Government and accountable to Parliament. The Legislature comprises the Parliament and is the legislative authority responsible for enacting legislation. More information on the history of Parliament, Parliament House and activities of the House can be obtained from its web site. The Judiciary's function is to independently administer justice. The Judiciary is safeguarded by the Constitution. The Prime Minister of Singapore is appointed by the President of Singapore under Article 25 of the Constitution. The President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, also appoints other Ministers from among the Members of Parliament. The Prime Minister is the effective head of the executive branch of government. The Prime Minister chairs the Cabinet, which is constituted under Article 24 of the Constitution. The Cabinet is the central decision-making body of the executive government. It is an organ of state and central to Singapore's system of government. In practice, all significant decisions or actions taken by the Executive are first discussed and collectively agreed by Cabinet. At present, Cabinet comprises the following members: As the chairman of the Cabinet, the Prime Minister approves the agenda, leads the meetings and oversees the government's general policy direction. The Prime Minister may also determine the setting up of Cabinet committees from time to time to look into specific subject areas, such as national population policies. The responsibilities of the respective ministers are gazetted in separate Gazette Notifications under the Constitution. The web sites of the ministries provide more information on their specific functions and activities. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style Share Share Share to social media Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/head-of-stateGive Feedback Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Your Feedback Submit FeedbackThank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. External Websites Print Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style Copy CitationShareShare Share to social media Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/head-of-stateFeedbackAlternate titles: chief of state By André Munro Table of ContentsKey People:Mengistu Haile Mariam Bogd Gegeen Khan...(Show more)Related Topics:president emperor abdication king empress...(Show more) See all related content → head of state, the highest representative of a sovereign state, who may or may not also be its head of government. The role of the head of state is primarily representative, serving to symbolize the unity and integrity of the state at home and abroad. The specific title of the head of state depends on the state’s political system. The head of state in a monarchy, for instance, is usually a king or queen, while in a republic this role is typically filled by the president. The mode of selection of the head of state also varies between political systems, including direct election by the people, indirect election by a legislative body or electoral college, and hereditary succession. In dictatorships the position is often simply seized by force. The head of state may hold significant constitutional power or exert only the ceremonial authority associated with his or her title. For example, the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch, as head of state, performs an important but mainly symbolic function in the British political system: opening each new session of Parliament, dissolving it before a general election, formally appointing the prime minister, and representing the country abroad. The president of France, in contrast, possesses significant powers, such as making treaties with foreign governments and directing the armed forces. In both cases, the head of state (monarch or president) is distinct from the head of government, who is the prime minister. In other countries, such as the United States and the Philippines, the person who is the head of state is also the head of government and thus retains the duties and prerogatives associated with both titles. Who is the head of the state in the parliamentary system of governance?Countries with parliamentary systems may be constitutional monarchies, where a monarch is the head of state while the head of government is almost always a member of parliament, or parliamentary republics, where a mostly ceremonial president is the head of state while the head of government is regularly from the ...
How is the head of state chosen in a parliamentary system?In a presidential system, the president is directly chosen by the people, or by a set of electors directly chosen by the people, but in a parliamentary system the prime minister is elected by the party leadership.
What are two roles of the head of state?The main roles or duties of the Head of the State include exercising political functions and political powers, and legitimizing the state.
|
