Head of government
Chief officer of the executive branch of a government
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The head of government serves as the highest official in the executive branch of a state.[1] The head of government usually handles the day to day affairs of the state, and leads the ministers who control the government.[2] In many democratic systems the head of state is also the head of government.[2][3] In non democratic systems the head of government is usually established via military intervention.[2]
In most parliamentary systems, including constitutional monarchies, the head of government is the de facto political leader of the government, and is answerable to at least one chamber of the legislature. Although there is often a formal reporting relationship to a head of state, the latter usually acts as a figurehead who may take the role of chief executive on limited occasions, either when receiving constitutional advice from the head of government or under specific provisions in a constitution.[4]
In semi-presidential systems, the head of government may answer to both the head of state and the legislature with the specifics provided by each country's constitution.[5]
In communist states, the general secretary of the Communist Party is the supreme leader, serving as de facto head of state and government. In China, the de jure head of government is the Premier. The Chinese president is legally a ceremonial office, but the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (top leader in a one-party system) has always held this office since 1993 except for the months of transition.[6][7]
Types
In some governments, those who are the heads of state also perform the duties of the head of government.[2] The President of the United States is one example.[8] Certain governments those roles are separate, with the head of state merely being a figurehead.[9] In the United Kingdom the Prime Minister handles the affairs of the state, while the King/Queen of England (who is the head of state) has a largely ceremonial role with no political power.[10] Russia also employs a similar structure, though the role of president has full political power.[11][2] In Japan, there exists an emperor with little political power, with all government issues being handled by the prime minister.[12] In Israel, while the Government is nominally a collegiate body with a primus inter pares role for the Prime Minister, the Israeli Prime Minister is the dominant figure in the executive branch in practice.[13]
Assumption of power
Via election/appointment
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which representative government has operated since the 17th century.[14] However, in most parliamentary systems the prime minister is not directly elected by voters, but is the leader of the most dominant party in parliament.[15] In presidential systems, the head of government is appointed by the president.[16] According to Wolfgang Müller and Wilfried Philipp, heads of government have lasted in office on average 3.8 years in post-1945 Western Europe.[17]
Seizure of power
In some instances, the head of government comes to political authority via force, such as in a coup. In authoritarian systems, the selection of the head of government is typically not open to the general public.[16]
Under military dictatorships, the military’s leader usually fills the role of head of state, head of government, or both.[16] A military dictator may install a figurehead as head of government, but generally keeps some or all executive governing powers for themselves.[16]
See also
