An obvious difference between a president and a prime minister is that the latter always has

An obvious difference between a president and a prime minister is that the latter always has

• A. Interest group support
• B. Support in the cabinet
• C. Support in the military
• D. Majority support in parliament

Answer: (D)

The key distinction is that a prime minister’s authority rests on the confidence of the legislature. In a parliamentary system, the government must have majority support in parliament to stay in power; a vote of no confidence or losing the religious of coalition can force the prime minister and cabinet to resign. A president, by contrast, is elected separately from the legislature and does not require ongoing parliamentary majority to govern, even though they may still seek legislative cooperation. That’s why majority support in parliament is the defining feature here. Other possibilities—like backing from interest groups, the cabinet, or the military—aren’t universal requirements for a prime minister and don’t establish the same structural difference from a presidential system.

The key distinction is that a prime minister’s authority rests on the confidence of the legislature. In a parliamentary system, the government must have majority support in parliament to stay in power; a vote of no confidence or losing the religious of coalition can force the prime minister and cabinet to resign. A president, by contrast, is elected separately from the legislature and does not require ongoing parliamentary majority to govern, even though they may still seek legislative cooperation.

That’s why majority support in parliament is the defining feature here. Other possibilities—like backing from interest groups, the cabinet, or the military—aren’t universal requirements for a prime minister and don’t establish the same structural difference from a presidential system.