A Comparison

Only one elected body: a parliament of representatives. Its bills are law. Executive power is housed in a cabinet. Cabinet members typically are MPs who perform executive duties (foreign relations, etc.) in addition to their legislative duties. Cabinet only serves as long as there is parliamentary confidence. A Vote of Confidence can be called at any time, and a majority vote can unseat the existing cabinet (government falling) and call for a new one to be formed. But the cabinet can also hold the parliament in check. The leader of the cabinet (Prime minister, premiere, etc.) can disband a parliament and call for new elections.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Always unified government Greater party discipline No veto power and typically no judicial review Clear lines of responsibility voters know who to blame/reward Divided government may be a good thing Judicial review and veto power are important Minority rights get washed away What if theres no clear majority? Then coalition governments must be formed between the main parties, and cabinet positions are divvied up accordingly.

Non parliamentary systems are committee dominated they have the power, and they can easily obstruct(interfere) in the work of government. Strong committees in a parliamentary system would weaken central unity Strong leadership is important to parl. Systems. Consequently, in Britain, for example, there are no standing committees per se, but ad hoc committees for each bill. No permanent staff and no open hearings, etc
The parliament itself tries to maintain the open spirit of debate.

The key distinction is the Separation of Powers

Separation of Powers Doctrine and Checks and Balances

Secondly and related to the first point, above there are differences in party systems/structures/politics/elections

Policy leadership > with presidential systems, but... Responsibility for policy more difficult to identify with presidential systems. Comprehensive policies harder to accomplish in presidential systems. Differences in recruitment of leaders. Differences in review/control of executive leaders. Symbolic/political aspects.

Parliamentary System Fusion of executive and legislative branches The assembly becomes a parliament, comprising both an executive (government) and assembly Executive is divided into two parts: A prime minister (or chancellor) as head of government and a monarch (or ceremonial president) as head of state Prime minister usually appointed by head of state (symbolic); in actuality, selected from largest party in assembly

Presidential System Executive and legislative branches separated The assembly remains an assembly only; the executive is a separate institution Executive is not divided: Head of government (president) is also head of state

President elected by the people for a definite term (in America 2 years)

Prime minister appoints ministers; can be personal choices or outcome of bargaining to form coalition government Cabinet is collective body; since ministers exert great deal of influence (especially in coalition governments), prime minister is just first among equals Government (cabinet) is politically responsible to assembly; by withholding support, parliament may be able to force government to resign and cause head of state to appoint new government

President appoints heads of departments; usually personal choices although often with consent of assembly (as in U.S.) President is sole executive decision-maker; heads of executive departments are subordinate; not a cabinet in parliamentary sense

Executive is responsible to constitution: Presidents must follow constitutional prescriptions

Head of government may dissolve parliament and can threaten or coerce assembly by using this threat
Parliament as a whole is supreme over its constituent parts (government and assembly), neither of which may dominate the other: Government depends on the support of the parliament but it may also dissolve it. Therefore, neither dominates

President cannot dissolve or coerce assembly, thus, has no ability to threaten or coerce assembly
Assembly is ultimately supreme over other branches of government; although power is separated, assembly generally has more options (including to impeach a President) than President