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Comparative Politics Categorise
Target Level
C
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Rational
Cultural
Structural
The two countries have differing roles and ideas about head of state and head of government.
Although more formally established in the UK than the USA, both leaders are the heads of their political parties (by default in the USA), which allows them both (with varying degrees of influence) to advance their own agendas.
Constitutional frameworks determine the powers held by both the PM and president. This gives more power to the president as their powers are unambiguous. But the PM arguably has a greater set of powers, especially as they have less explicit limits.
As the president is directly elected, compared to the indirect election of the prime minister, this tends to give a much stronger mandate to the president as he/she has been chosen directly by the people.
The role of the cabinet in both countries is frequently subject to intense media scrutiny and speculation and is seen as a reflection of the PM's or president's personality and ideas.
Both executives are able to use a range of powers, both enumerated and implied, in order to advance their own policy agenda, such as political patronage, persuasion and removal of cabinet-level officials.
For both executives, preservation of power is extremely important, and any action decided (or not taken) is likely to depend on the potential successes and failures of those options.
It is expected that both PMs and presidents are powerful and determined people who can control their branch of government and, subsequently, they tend to be the focus of election campaigns.
For both executives, they are able to gain powers through other means, such as media attention and poll ratings, which can strengthen or weaken their position.
The PM tends to be in a stronger position than the president as the PM usually commands a majority in the Legislature and has more freedom to drive their agenda through Parliament, whereas the president doesn't have this luxury.