![]() ![]() 42 The sheer duration of a government provides no indication as to its efficiency or its effectiveness in enacting public policy. Generally, coalition governments are shorter-lived than majority governments. What one person might view as instability, someone else might see as needed policy change. Whether an individual sees the changes as a sign of political instability or a sign that the government reflects the will of the people may depend upon whether that individual agrees with the new policies. That new government could bring sweeping policy changes. Within a parliamentary regime, changing demographics or changing attitudes among the public could bring in a new government that has a very different majority than the old government. While public opinion does tend to move rather slowly, it changes over time and when triggered by events that cause the public to rethink key issues. Because there are no set elections, elections could take place at any time. Policy swings are more likely in parliamentary regimes. Instability can also take the form of policy change. Any instability provides the opportunity for political change. Nevertheless, the political system remains stable and in place, even if the ramifications of Israel’s crisis in determining its leadership do raise some concerns for aspects of the system. Deep divisions within the Israeli electorate have made the formation and maintenance of a coalition government difficult. In that respect, the current demographics of a particular country could work against a majority emerging and encourage coalition governments. It could simply reflect current electoral politics. Parliamentary regimes may experience multiple elections in a short space of time, but that does not mean the system itself is unstable. Within this context, stability refers to the stability of the political system itself and not the stability of any particular government within that system. To Americans, this may seem like the very definition of instability. 40 Ultimately, however, he was unable to do so and was ousted as prime minister. 39 In April 2020, Benjamin Netanyahu again was given the opportunity to form a new coalition government. From 2018 to 2021, there were four separate elections in Israel. This means an election can happen at any time, opening up the possibility for multiple elections within a relatively short period of time. As already noted, while parliamentary regimes have regular elections, they are not necessarily fixed-term elections. ![]() Table 10.3 Comparison of Advantages and Disadvantages of Presidential and Parliamentary Regimes Governmental Stability versus Policy StabilityĪny discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of presidentialism and parliamentarianism begins with the hypothesis, first posited by Yale University professor Juan Linz, that parliamentary regimes are more stable than presidential regimes and that “the only presidential democracy with a long history of constitutional continuity is the United States.” 38 To Americans, the claim that parliamentary regimes are more stable may appear strange. Political parties and party discipline tend to be strong. Strong presidents or populist leaders can emerge, presenting challenges to democracy. Minority groups have relatively fewer protections. Minority parties are frequently represented in parliamentary legislatures. One individual must play the roles of both head of state and head of government. Separation of powers may better protect rights of minority groups when an independent judiciary has the power of judicial review. If there is divided government, it can lead to gridlock.Ī unified government enables the quick enactment of policies.ĭrastic policy change is possible from one government to the next.ĭuring a time of crisis, a president may be able to act quickly.Ī president may blame the legislature for policy failures.Ī clear line of policy-making responsibility helps define accountability.Ĭoalition governments may be short-lived, with frequent elections. Presidents can claim a mandate and take the lead in setting the legislative agenda.
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