Westminster system

E3388

The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary model, originating in the United Kingdom, characterized by a sovereign parliament, responsible government, and an executive drawn from and accountable to the legislature.


Statements (52)

Predicate Object
instanceOf democratic political system
parliamentary system
system of government
contrastedWith presidential system
semi-presidential system
developedFrom British parliamentary system
hasCharacteristic adversarial style of parliamentary debate
bicameralism is common but not universal
cabinet drawn from legislature
cabinet government
collective ministerial responsibility
constitutional monarchy is common but not essential
dissolution of parliament on advice of prime minister or government
executive accountable to legislature
first-past-the-post elections are common but not essential
fusion of powers between executive and legislature
government must maintain confidence of lower house
head of state distinct from head of government
individual ministerial responsibility
majority party government is common
opposition with formal status
parliamentary sovereignty
party discipline is typically strong
possibility of votes of no confidence
prime minister as head of government
question time in parliament
responsible government
hasComponent cabinet
head of government
head of state
lower house of parliament
upper house of parliament
hasGoal ensuring executive accountability to elected legislature
influencedBy British constitutional conventions
unwritten constitutional principles of the United Kingdom
namedAfter Palace of Westminster
originatedIn United Kingdom
practicedIn Commonwealth countries
surface form: Commonwealth of Nations
usedInCountry Australia
People's Republic of Bangladesh (from East Pakistan)
surface form: Bangladesh

Barbados
Canada
India
Ireland
Jamaica
Malaysia
New Zealand
Pakistan
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom

Referenced by (80)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

King of New Zealand legalSystemContext Westminster system
Queen of Papua New Guinea legalSystemContext Westminster system
Queen of Saint Lucia legalSystemContext Westminster system
New Zealand courts legalTradition Westminster system
Māori Party operatesWithin Westminster system
this entity surface form: New Zealand parliamentary democracy
British monarchy partOf Westminster system
this entity surface form: New Zealand parliamentary system
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan partOf Westminster system
this entity surface form: Parliamentary system of Canada
National Assembly of Quebec partOf Westminster system
this entity surface form: Parliamentary system of Quebec
Parliament of Gibraltar partOf Westminster system
Parliament of Queensland partOf Westminster system
this entity surface form: Westminster system in Australia
Parliament of Tasmania partOf Westminster system
the Crown in right of Grenada partOf Westminster system
Number 10 Policy Unit politicalSystem Westminster system
Queen of New Zealand politicalSystemContext Westminster system
Cabinet of Canada system Westminster system
this entity surface form: Westminster parliamentary system
Usher of the Black Rod tradition Westminster system
this entity surface form: Westminster parliamentary tradition
Senate_of_Belize typeOfLegislature Westminster system
this entity surface form: Westminster-style_parliamentary_system
this entity surface form: Westminster system of government
Chief Whip usedIn Westminster system
Great Office of State usedIn Westminster system
subject surface form: Great Offices of State