The Presidential Form Of Government is also known as non-responsible or non-parliamentary or fixed executive system of government, basically built on the principle of separation of power and is prevalent in the USA, Brazil, Russia and Sri Lanka among others.
The American President is both the head of the State and the head of government. As the head of State, he occupies a ceremonial position. As the head of government, he leads the executive organ of the government.
The President is elected by an electoral college for a fixed tenure of four years. He cannot be removed by the Congress, except by impeachment for a grave unconstitutional act.
The President governs with the help of a cabinet or a smaller body called ‘Kitchen Cabinet’. It is only an advisory body and consists of non-elected departmental secretaries. They are selected and appointed by him, are responsible only to him and can be removed by him any time.
The President and his secretaries are not responsible to the Congress for their acts. They neither possess membership in the Congress, nor attend its sessions.
Differences between presidential and parliamentary forms of government are:
| Parliamentary form of government |
Presidential form of government |
| Prime Minister is from the majority party |
President is directly elected by the People |
| Central Legislature is supreme |
President is Supreme |
| Absence of Separation Powers Centralisation |
Separation of Powers |
| Independent branches with Overlapping functions |
Independent branches |
| President – Head of the State |
President – Head of the State |
| Prime Minister – Head of the Government |
President – Head of the Government |
| Collective leadership |
Individual Leadership |
| Collective and Individual Responsibility |
President is not accountable to Congress |
