20+ Differences Between President And Prime Minister (Explained)

The top minister of a ruler or state and the recognized leader of a government or ministry is the prime minister.

This indicates that they are regarded as the Head of Government and are tasked with establishing the national agenda, selecting cabinet members, and leading the entire nation under the direction of a single party or a group of parties.

The ceremonial Head of State, whose responsibilities and authority vary, is often either a monarch or a president in parliamentary systems.

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Key Differences:

President

  1. The leader of the state is the President.
  2. Premiers are chosen by the President.
  3. The Constitution is guarded by the President.
  4. The President is the military’s top commander.

Prime Minister

  1. The prime minister is in charge of the government.
  2. President is consulted by the prime minister.
  3. President receives advice from the prime minister on a variety of topics.
  4. In reality, the prime minister actually appreciates his or her abilities.

Comparison between President and Prime Minister

ParameterPresidentPrime Minister
PositionHead of the nation as a whole, including the state and the government.Head of the government
Elected ViaElected by the people of the nation.Elected by the legislative body of the country.
Control over BillsThe president does not have any control over the bills, and no bill can be passed under his supervision.The decision on which law should be passed and when is made by the prime minister and the other cabinet members.
DutiesThe major role that the president plays is to act as the head of the nation and represent it among different countries.The major role that the prime minister plays as the head of the government is that he is responsible and answerable for everything that happens within the government.
Example of CountriesUSA, Chile, PhilippinesIndia, Japan, UK

major differences between President and Prime Minister

Who exactly is a President?

A prime minister is a government’s chief executive. A president, on the other hand, is the Head of state and, in certain situations, the Government.

For instance, in the United States, the President serves as both the Head of the executive branch of Government and the Head of the Federal Government, which is in charge of all the various states.

The chief magistrate of certain of the British colonies in North America was the first official to bear the title of President.

The heads of certain state governments were awarded the title of President, and these provincial administrations were always associated with a colonial council to which they were elected.

The President is given a variety of duties and authority in his capacity as commanding officer in chief of the military, including the authority to negotiate treaties with other nations, to accept or reject legislation approved by Congress, to appoint senior officials in the executive branch, and to name all federal judges.

The presidency is also used by administrations in South and Central America, Africa, and other regions. These top executives frequently carry out their duties as legitimately elected public officials in accordance with democratic tradition.

The majority of these nations have presidents with legally defined powers that are comparable to those of the American President.

In contrast to the Americas, the majority of western European countries have parliamentary systems of Government, wherein cabinets are answerable to parliaments and wield executive authority.

Who exactly is a Prime Minister?

Depending on the Government, the prime minister may have several titles. The Head of the Government of a nation with a parliamentary system is typically the prime minister.

For instance, the United Kingdom operates under a parliamentary system of Government and is a constitutional monarchy. The Head of the Government is the prime minister.

In most countries with prime ministers, there are two chief executives: a head of Government (the prime minister) and a head of state.

The prime minister is legally chosen by the Head of state, who also chooses the other cabinet members. But in reality, the President’s options are frequently fairly constrained.

Since the creation of the office of prime minister, occupants of the position have frequently focused on the most prominent or strategic facets of the Federal Government, including high-level foreign policy, significant defense choices, macroeconomic policy, and the Government’s legislative schedule and priorities.

As a result, the prime minister’s relationships with the diplomatic and financial ministries are typically crucial indicators of a government’s performance.

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Roles and Responsibiites- President vs. Prime Minister

Roles and Responsibilities of a President:

  • The President picks the leaders of all government agencies, including the Cabinet, in order to carry out and enforce the laws passed by Congress.
  • According to Article II of the Constitution, the President is in charge of carrying out and upholding the laws passed by Congress.
  • The President has a major duty as commander-in-chief of the whole American armed forces. The Constitution states that the President has final authority over how the military conducts itself.
  • The President also has to fulfill the function of the chief executive. The President really fulfills the Constitution’s definition of the office of President when serving as chief executive.
  • The President serves as the Executive Branch’s leader in his capacity as Chief Administrator. The President functions quite similarly to the CEO in this role.
  • In addition, the President serves as Chief of State. Because of this, the President acts as the ceremonial Head of state. This implies that when foreign leaders visit the United States, the President will welcome them and represent their country.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Prime Minister:

  • The structure in which the prime minister works is based on two opposing norms: the norm of prime ministerial power and the norm of collegiality, or group decision-making.
  • Collegiality and the exercise of prime ministerial authority in the areas of nominations, government structure, and, to some extent, general policy have both been hallmarks of British governance.
  • The days and the sequence in which business is presented during plenary sessions of the Government are subject to the Prime Minister’s approval.
  • The presentation of a specific item of business before the Government plenary session may also be required by the Prime Minister by a specific deadline.
  • The Prime Minister’s Office is led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister’s Office’s responsibility is to make sure that the Prime Minister and Government’s operations go without a hitch at all times.

Contrast Between President and Prime Minister

Hierarchy

  • President – The President of a country, is the Head of the nation and the Government. In the hierarchy, it holds the highest position in the Government.
  • Prime Minister – The prime minister in a country is the Head of the ruling Government, so this puts him at a lower rank in the hierarchy than the President of the nation.

Chosen By

  • President – The President is chosen by the people or citizens of the nation.
  • Prime Minister – The prime minister, is chosen by the parliamentary body of the nation and not by the people directly.

Roles

President – The President is the Head of all the working bodies like the legislative, executive, and judiciary and has a duty to abide by the Constitution.

  • The President will perform ceremonial responsibilities of the office as Chief of State, including giving the annual “State of the Union” speech.
  • The President is regarded as the chief legislator as well. In this capacity, the President will advise Congress on the kinds of legislation that they ought to take into account.
  • Congress has sought to pass legislation, which the President may veto (stop or annul) or sign into law.
  • The President influences American foreign policy as Chief Diplomat. To discuss trade and treaty discussions, the President will meet with ambassadors from foreign nations.
  • The President is regarded as the Chief Citizen as well. The implication of this term is that the President should provide a good example of morality and integrity for others to follow, albeit various individuals may interpret it differently.
  • In this capacity, the President also assumes the title of “face of the nation,” and people all over the world begin to connect the United States with the President’s reputation or image.
  • For his or her own political party, the President acts as the Chief of the Party. Political parties are not specified in the Constitution. Hence this is not a formal role for the President.

Prime Minister – The prime minister plays a major role in the passing of the bills in a government. 

  • The office of the prime minister is in charge of overseeing how the Government program is being carried out and supporting the prime minister in managing overall government operations.
  • The Prime Minister, who serves as the Government’s political leader, is responsible for bridging any breaches between the multiple organizations that are engaged in the Government’s numerous policy stances.
  • The Prime Minister is responsible for coordinating the actions of the Government as well as the Parliament.
  • The Prime Minister fills in for the Head of state when that person is unable to carry out their responsibilities. In reality, the Prime Minister takes the President’s place whenever a presidential travel overseas necessitates making decisions in presidential sessions.

Accountable For 

  • President – The President is accountable for everything that is related to the nation. Everything that happens within a country is the responsibility of the President.
  • Prime Minister – The prime minister, takes responsibility for the actions of the Government.

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Power- President vs. Prime Minister

Powers of a President:

  1. He can first use his military prowess to dispatch troops, aircraft, and ships to conduct military operations.
  2. He also has judicial authority since he may nominate federal judges and Supreme Court justices with the consent of the Senate.
  3. He is the country’s top diplomat, which gives him influence over foreign policy.
  4. Although a congressman or Senator must actually introduce the proposed legislation into Congress, the President is also permitted to make them. Legislative authority is in play here.
  5. He also possesses executive power, which means he is responsible for seeing that the law is obeyed.
  6. Even though he doesn’t perform the majority of the diplomatic work, the President has diplomatic authority.
  7. Treaties are mostly drafted by State Department employees, but the President has the authority to sign them and claims credit. He appoints those State Department employees and ambassadors.

Powers of a Prime Minister:

  1. He suggests the President select certain members of his political party as ministers.
  2. He chooses how much responsibility goes to each minister and has the power to change the Government.
  3. He oversees Cabinet meetings and has the authority to overturn any decisions made there.
  4. He has the authority to recommend to the President the resignation or expulsion of any Minister from his Cabinet.
  5. Additionally, he oversees and monitors how the Cabinet’s Ministers carry out their duties.
  6. He has the right to resign at any moment and to recommend that the President dissolve the Cabinet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is a presidential form of Government?

The presidential system, often known as the presidential system, is a two-party system in which the President is in control of an executive branch that is distinct from the legislative branch.

The presidency also isn’t a representative in the legislature; he is also not one of its members.

Q2. What is a parliamentary form of Government?

The Head of state, the prime minister, as well as the members of the executive branch, are also parliamentarians in a parliamentary form of Government.

In addition to leading the executive, the President also acts as the other executive officer.

Q3. Who has more power and responsibilities among, a president and a prime minister?

In some countries, the President has more powers than the prime minister and so more responsibilities, like in the United States.

In a few other countries, although the Prime Minister holds a lower position than the President, they still have better control over the Government than the President. 


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