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Conclusions - Public Actors - The legislature

3 important questions on Conclusions - Public Actors - The legislature

What are the three principal tasks of the legislature?

- provide legitimacy for the political system; communication and representation of the citizens.
- they have control and oversight functions. Control rights are mainly over the executive (tools for monitoring: hearings, interpellations).
- legislate. In most political systems it is actually the executive which tends to dominate the policy-making process.
Ways legislature participates: consultation, formal veto (Negative/positive powers).

What is the difference between 'negative' powers and 'positive' powers that legislatures have?

Negative power: blocking and delaying policy-making.
Positive power: initiating and amending policy proposals.

What is the difference between legislature in presidential systems and semi-presidential/parliamentary systems?

In parliamentary/semi-presidential systems: the majority of the legislature and the executive form an entity. --> this reduces the chances of a policy-related conflict.

In presidential systems: clear-cut separation between the president and the congressional majority. This increases the likelihood of conflict.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Public Policy A New Introduction | 9781137573292 | Christoph Knill, et al

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