The Parliamentary vote is one of the most powerful tools in a politician’s toolbox. It’s used to pass or not pass a particular piece of legislation, such as a new law or an amendment to an existing law.
A parliamentary system puts power in the hands of a legislative branch, often called a parliament or legislature, that is directly responsive to people’s votes. In a parliamentary system, parties may form coalitions to elect members to the legislative body and create a government that is able to make policy. This allows all parties, large and small, majority and minority, to have representation. In contrast, a presidential system can put the entire power of the executive branch into the hands of one person, which can lead to social and political tensions.
In a parliamentary system, the people collectively possess the only check on the legislative branch, and that is the ability to vote members of a majority party out of office at the next election. Most countries that use a parliamentary system are either constitutional monarchies, with a sovereign head of state and a prime minister elected by the legislature, or parliamentary republics, in which a ceremonial president acts as head of state but the head of government is almost always a member of parliament.
The legislative function in a parliamentary system is conducted through a unicameral (one-chamber) or bicameral parliament, and the executive function is carried out by a prime minister and ministers of several executive departments. In some parliamentary systems, the roles of the legislative and executive branches are blurred or merged.