parliamentary

Parliamentary refers to matters relating to a parliament, or to systems of government in which the parliament plays a central role. In political science, a parliamentary system is a form of democratic governance in which the executive branch derives its legitimacy from and is dependent on the support of the legislature. The government is typically formed by the party or coalition that holds a majority in the parliament, and the prime minister or equivalent head of government is usually the leader of that majority. The head of state, who may be a monarch or a president, often has largely ceremonial duties.

Key features of parliamentary systems include a fusion of powers between the legislative and executive branches, and cabinet collective responsibility. The government must maintain the confidence of the parliament to stay in office, and it can be removed through a vote of no confidence. Elections or the dissolution of parliament may follow a loss of confidence. Term lengths are often tied to the life of the parliament rather than a fixed presidential term.

Variants of parliamentary governance include parliamentary monarchies and parliamentary republics. Examples of parliamentary monarchies include the United Kingdom and Sweden, while parliamentary republics include Germany, Canada, and India. Some systems have fixed-term elections, whereas others allow more flexible dissolution; coalitions are common in multi-party environments and can influence policy stability and government duration.

Parliamentary also describes parliamentary procedure, the formal rules governing deliberation and decision-making in a legislature or other deliberative assembly. These rules aim to ensure orderly debate, fair consideration of proposals, and an auditable record of decisions.