Introduction
A president is a title for a head of state, often accompanied with a republican form of government. The presidential system is a form of government where the head of state and head of the executive branch are the same person and acts as a check and balance on the legislative and judiciary branches. A president is elected by the people, though an intermediary may be involved in the process (such as the electoral college in the United States); also, the president’s functions will vary by the government, but are often laid out by a constitution or by law.
A presidential system is contrasted by a parliamentary system, where the latter is led by a prime minister who also acts as the head of the legislative branch. However, just because the head of state is called a president does not mean it is a presidential system, as authoritarian regimes (such as dictatorships and one-party states) may use the title “president”.
Learn for yourself about countries with presidents in the map and charts.
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