Parliamentary republic

States with a parliamentary system are shown in red and orange. Red is a constitutional monarchy. Orange is a parliamentary republic. Green is where the parliament helps the executive, but does not choose it.

A parliamentary republic is a name for a government. The system is used in many countries.

What it looks like

In a parliamentary system, the legislature is the part of government that makes laws. The legislature also gives power to the executive (the part of government that enforces laws). This is the basic form of a parliamentary republic. The difference is how the legislature gets its power. The legislature is not chosen by a ruler or by birth. The people choose the legislature in an election. This means that the executives get their power from the legislature, but the legislature gets its power from the people.

How it works

The people choose the legislature. There are many people in the legislature. That group then gets together to choose one person to be their leader. The leader is often part of the legislature. The name for this job is Prime Minister in most countries. The Prime Minister is the head of government. This person leads the country. This way, the people are the power behind the parliamentary republic. They choose the units that make government work.

This is different from other parliamentary systems because the legislature is chosen in a different way. In other parliamentary systems, members are chosen by the head of state, the local leaders, or by birth. In a parliamentary republic, the people choose the members. The people do this through elections. Sometimes they vote for every person in parliament. Other times they vote for people in their area. The politicians they elect go to parliament to make laws and select the head of state. This gives the people power to decide who is in government.

Examples

Country	Parliamentary republic adopted
Albania	1991
Bangladesh	1991^{[note 1]}
Bosnia and Herzegovina	1991
Botswana	1966
Bulgaria	1989
Cape Verde	1990
Croatia	2000
Czech Republic	1993
Dominica	1978
East Timor	1999
Estonia	1991^{[note 2]}
Ethiopia	1991
Finland	1919
Germany	1949^{[note 3]}
Greece	1975
Hungary	1990
Iceland	1944
India	1950
Iraq	2005
Ireland	1949
Israel	1948
Italy	1946
Kiribati	1979
Kyrgyzstan	2010
Latvia	1991^{[note 4]}
Lebanon	1941
Libya	2012
Lithuania	1991^{[note 5]}
Macedonia	1991
Malta	1974
Marshall Islands	1979
Mauritius	1992
Federated States of Micronesia	1986
Moldova	1994^{[note 6]}
Mongolia	1949
Montenegro	1992
Nauru	1968
Nepal	2008
Pakistan	2010^[1]^[2]
Poland	1990
Samoa	2007
San Marino	0301
Serbia	1991
Singapore	1995
Slovakia	1993
Slovenia	1991
Somalia	2012
South Africa	1961
Trinidad and Tobago	1976
Turkey	1946
Vanuatu	1980

Notes

↑ Was a parliamentary republic between 1971 and 1975.
↑ Estonia was a parliamentary republic between 1919 and 1934 when the government was overthrown by a coup d'état.
↑ At the end of World War II Germany was divided into West Germany and East Germany. This date shows the start of the Federal Republic of Germany, although the area of former East Germany was no part of that parliamentary republic until 1990.
↑ Latvia was a parliamentary republic between 1921 and 1934. The then prime minister Kārlis Ulmanis took power in a coup d'état. In June 1940, Latvia was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.
↑ Lithuania was previously a parliamentary republic between 1920 and 1926 when democratic government was overthrown in a coup d'état. In June 1940 Lithuania was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.
↑ The first parliamentary elections were held in February and March 1990. The Communist Party of Moldova was the only group in this election. Other people were allowed to be in the election without a group. In 1991, the country moved away from Soviet Union. In 1994, the Moldovans held the first free elections.

References

↑ By Kiran Khalid, CNN (2010-04-09). Pakistan lawmakers approve weakening of presidential powers. CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/09/pakistan.constitution/. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
↑ '18th Amendment to restore Constitution' | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online. Nation.com.pk. http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Lahore/11-Apr-2010/18th-Amendment-to-restore-Constitution. Retrieved 2010-04-14.

[1] Was a parliamentary republic between 1971 and 1975.

[2] Estonia was a parliamentary republic between 1919 and 1934 when the government was overthrown by a coup d'état.

[3] At the end of World War II Germany was divided into West Germany and East Germany. This date shows the start of the Federal Republic of Germany, although the area of former East Germany was no part of that parliamentary republic until 1990.

[4] Latvia was a parliamentary republic between 1921 and 1934. The then prime minister Kārlis Ulmanis took power in a coup d'état. In June 1940, Latvia was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.

[5] Lithuania was previously a parliamentary republic between 1920 and 1926 when democratic government was overthrown in a coup d'état. In June 1940 Lithuania was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.

[6] The first parliamentary elections were held in February and March 1990. The Communist Party of Moldova was the only group in this election. Other people were allowed to be in the election without a group. In 1991, the country moved away from Soviet Union. In 1994, the Moldovans held the first free elections.

[7] By Kiran Khalid, CNN (2010-04-09). Pakistan lawmakers approve weakening of presidential powers. CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/09/pakistan.constitution/. Retrieved 2010-04-14.

[8] '18th Amendment to restore Constitution' | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online. Nation.com.pk. http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Lahore/11-Apr-2010/18th-Amendment-to-restore-Constitution. Retrieved 2010-04-14.

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