lexécutif

L’exécutif, or the executive, is the branch of government charged with enforcing laws and administering the state. It typically includes the head of state, the head of government, and the cabinet or council of ministers, though the exact composition depends on the constitutional framework of a country.

In presidential systems, the president is both head of state and head of government and exercises executive power independently of the legislature, within constitutional limits. In parliamentary systems, the executive is drawn from and accountable to the legislature; the prime minister or premier is the head of government, while a separate ceremonial head of state may exist. In semi-presidential systems, the president and the prime minister share executive functions, with powers and responsibilities defined by constitutional provisions and political arrangements.

Core functions of the executive include formulating and carrying out public policy, directing foreign policy and defense, proposing the annual budget, issuing executive orders or decrees as permitted by law, and appointing ministers and senior civil servants to run government departments and agencies. The executive also oversees the administration of public services and the implementation of laws enacted by the legislature.

Accountability mechanisms are central to the executive’s role. These typically include confidence or dissolution processes in parliamentary systems, impeachment or removal procedures in other systems, legislative oversight, judicial review of executive actions, audits, and regular elections. The balance of power between the executive and other branches varies by country, reflecting different constitutional designs and political practices.

In French-language usage, l’exécutif denotes the government as a whole, distinct from the législatif (legislature) and the judiciaire (judiciary).