THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
Czech Republic
– The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy.
– Its government is divided into three branches – the legislative represented by parliament, the executive represented by the government and judicial power represented by the courts.
- Executive
President
- represents the state
- head of the Czech Republic
- signs laws and international treaties
- awards medals, grants, pardons and amnesty
- appoints ministers, judges and ambassadors
- elected for a five–year term but no one cannot held this position more than two times in a row
- commander in chief of the army
- he has power of veto
Government
- ministers of health, culture, agriculture, industry, education, interior, foreign affairs
The executive power is represented by Prime Minister, ministers and local authorities. The municipal elections are held every 4 years. It can cancel some sentences.
- Legislative
The Parliament consists of two houses:
Senate
- third of them are renewed every 2 years
- 81 members
- Elected for 6 years
Chamber of Deputies
- elected every 4 years
- 200 members
The parliament ratifies international treaties, send troops abroad and maybe the main function is to pass laws.
- Judicial
All the law courts
- constitutional courts
- regional/district court
- they check the constitutionality of laws
- apply laws in practice
The judicial power is represented by the High Court in Brno.
There are several parties in the CR. The main ones are the Social Democracy and the Civic Democratic Party.
How is a law made?
A BILL (a-law-to-be)
Can be proposed by deputy group of deputies (Senate, Government), higher level (local) authorities. It goes to the COD, where they vote on it.
If it is approved, it goes to the Senate,
If it is not approved, it goes to the COD again.
If approved it goes to the president.
If he approves it, he signs it and it becomes a law.
If he does not sign it, it goes back to the COD.
The president can exercise the power of veto only once = not signing the bill
United Kingdom
– The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy.
- The sovereign
- Queen Elizabeth II
- she doesn’t rule actually
- she meets the prime minister once a week
- she delivers an “Opening of the Parliament” speech once a year. ( ceremonial, it contains the plans of the parliament for the next year. She sits on the throne with the crown on her head and reads it loud)
- the heir of the throne is his son prince Charles
- she formally summons and dissolves Parliament
- she is a commander-in-chief, head of the Church of England, she pays state visits.
- the head of the Commonwealth.
- Parliament consists of
House of Lords
- made up by hereditary peers, life peers and peeresses, 2 archbishops and 24 bishops. => 700 members
- has no real power, acts rather as an advisory for the House of Commons, it is no rival for it as well
House of Commons
- 659 members of Parliament (they are from each of the four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Elected by the citizens every 5 years
- Two may parties: Labour Party (party of working classes), Conservatives (represents wealthy people, who believe in tradition), Social Democratic Alliance party (disagree with both parties and criticise the way the election goes)
- the main function is legislation and checking the government activities
- Government
- formed by the party with majority support in the Commons
- prime ministers (Tony Blair – from Labour Party, Winston Churchill), prime minister selects other ministers
- Law courts
USA
USA is a democratic republic
Its government divides into three branches:
- Executive
President
- Head of the executive branch
- Elected for four-year term
- Nominates the heads of executive departments, who form the cabinet
- His powers are wide
- Chosen by direct election (each citizen can elect the president)
Cabinet
- Legislative
Congress
- Supreme law making body
- Consists of the Senate (100 members) and the House of Representatives (435 members). To become a law, a bill must be passed by both houses
- Officer of the Senate is Vice-President of the USA. Elected for 6 year-term, Representatives for 2 years-term
- Judicial
Law courts
Two leading parties: Democrats and Republicans