A parliamentary vote is a vote to pass, amend, or reject legislation. This type of voting is used in many parliamentary systems, including those of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. Almost all parliamentary systems are based on Robert’s Rules of Order, but they may vary in how the rules are applied.
Most of the world’s nations practice democracy, and most of these use a parliamentary system rather than a presidential system like that of the United States. These parliamentary systems come in different forms and have distinct institutions that shape the way the nation functions.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of a parliamentary system is the supremacy of the legislative branch. This legislative body is called a parliament, and it can be either bicameral (with two chambers) or unicameral (one chamber). Legislative votes are binding on the executive branch, which is known as the cabinet of the prime minister, and can override the head of state’s veto power with a simple majority vote.
Parliaments can be elected using a variety of electoral systems, but most Western European parliamentary governments employ a variant on the Westminster model. These parliaments have semi-circular debating chambers and prioritize committee work over plenary sessions.
The parliamentary system is popular with some voters because of the way it allows smaller parties and minority groups to receive representation. In contrast, the presidential system gives the executive branch to a single individual who can ignore these minorities, creating social tensions. Parliamentary democracy also gives the people a direct say in their government through periodic elections that can remove the governing body from office if they lose favor with the public.