A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in U.S. English), is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. Hence, there is no clear-cut separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, leading to criticism from some that they lack checks and balances found in a presidential republic. Parliamentarianism is praised, relative to presidentialism, for its flexibility and responsiveness to the public. It is faulted for its tendency to sometimes lead to unstable governments, as in the German Weimar Republic and the French Fourth Republic. Parliamentary systems usually have a clear differentiation between the head of government and the head of state, with the head of government being the prime minister or premier, and the head of state often being an appointed figurehead with only minor or ceremonial powers. However, some parliamentary systems also have an elected president with many reserve powers as the head of state, providing some balance to these systems.

The term parliamentary system does not mean that a country is ruled by different parties in coalition with each other. Such multi-party arrangements are usually the product of an electoral system known as proportional representation. Parliamentary countries that use first past the post voting usually have governments composed of one party. The United Kingdom, for instance, has had only one coalition government since World War II. However, parliamentary systems of continental Europe do use proportional representation, so, outside the Commonwealth of Nations, it can be said that PR voting systems and parliamentarianism go together.

Parliamentarianism may also be heeded for governance in local governments. An example is the city of Oslo, which has an executive council as a part of the parliamentary system.

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CanadaRights.com Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption - - GOPAC: ... Parliamentary Immunity; ... http://bit.ly/7mOskF
CRAcorruption (The Source) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:08:54 -0000
CanadaRights.com Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption - - GOPAC: ... Parliamentary Immunity; ... http://bit.ly/7mOskF
Gulf News: Nationalist society to contest in parliamentary elections http://twt.mx/R7u
bahrainnews (bahrain news) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:46:26 -0000
Gulf News: Nationalist society to contest in parliamentary elections http://twt.mx/R7u
The Kathmandu Post - Parliamentary panel inspects border area http://bit.ly/621DJP
haamro (Haamro.com) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:27:31 -0000
The Kathmandu Post - Parliamentary panel inspects border area http://bit.ly/621DJP
http://twitpic.com/w7kal - On WEBCAMEROON DIRECT: Recent auditions for Tory parliamentary candidates. Who's got talent then?
davecameroon (David Cameron) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:19:05 -0000
http://twitpic.com/w7kal - On WEBCAMEROON DIRECT: Recent auditions for Tory parliamentary candidates. Who's got talent then?
@EchoPeterBarron http://ow.ly/RCLd Vale of York also presented which is the biggest parliamentary petition ever, thank you Northern Echo
Wobblymoo (Wobbly Moo) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:14:42 -0000
@EchoPeterBarron http://ow.ly/RCLd Vale of York also presented which is the biggest parliamentary petition ever, thank you Northern Echo
Parliamentary panel inspects border area http://bit.ly/7KvPq3
ekantipur_ (ekantipur) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:46:50 -0000
Parliamentary panel inspects border area http://bit.ly/7KvPq3

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