Many nations around the world practice democracy in a variety of forms. Some are known for their presidential system, while others are known for their parliamentary systems. While there are some differences between the two types of government, both can be considered legitimate democracies as long as they meet certain basic criteria: free and fair elections, separation of powers, and guaranteed rights to liberty for all citizens.
Unlike the presidential system, most parliamentary democracies have a bicameral parliament with two chambers (or houses) that are both directly elected. The head of the legislative branch is called a Prime Minister. In some parliamentary systems the roles of the legislature and executive branch are blurred or merged into one legislative body with a single Prime Minister who is responsible for the implementation of laws. Some parliamentary systems also have a special constitutional court that has the power to declare that laws are unconstitutional.
Most parliamentary democracies use proportional representation in their electoral systems to ensure minority groups are represented. They may also have a mixed-member electoral system that uses both constituency and party list votes, like Denmark’s Folketing or the UK’s House of Commons.
In a parliamentary vote, each member is given the opportunity to speak once. If they do not agree with the majority’s view they can raise a point of order and ask that the question be referred to another committee or tabled for further consideration. They can also offer an amendment, which must be related to the original intent of the main motion and be debatable.