Conclusions - Public Actors - The Executive

3 important questions on Conclusions - Public Actors - The Executive

What does the executive consist of (in parliamentary / semi-presidential systems)?

Head of parliament (prime minister, chancellor).
Ministers who form the cabinet.


In presidential systems, the executive is not drawn from the legislative majority and only needs its support for the president's legislative proposals (the president is sovereign in executive domain).

The relationship between the individual cabinet members and the cabinet as a whole can take two distinct forms, what are they?

- principle of collective responsibility: all cabinet members have to publicly support all decisions made in cabinet.
- principle of ministerial autonomy: each cabinet member has the freedom and responsibility to supervise departmental operations and prepare legislative proposals without cabinet interference.

What forms can coalition cabinets take?

- A minimal winning cabinet: the cabinet will include just as many parties as necessary for gaining control of a majority.
- Oversized cabinet: includes more parties than is necessary to have a majority.
- Minority cabinet: fewer parties than is necessary for a majority support (these need to be tolerated by the parliament .

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