Social Studies Praxis Practice Test

Which of the following is a true statement about a pure parliamentary system of government?

1. Legislators who accept ministerial appointments must resign their seats.

2. Seats in parliament are apportioned strictly according to proportional representation.

3. Governments must be formed by a coalition of several parties.

4. The head of government must be a current member of the legislature.

The correct answer is: The head of government must be a current member of the legislature.

In a pure parliamentary system of government, the head of government is typically the Prime Minister and must be a current member of the legislature. This is a fundamental aspect of such systems, where the executive branch derives its legitimacy from the legislative branch and is directly accountable to it. Because the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the political party that has the majority of seats in parliament, they are elected from among the members of the legislature. This structure ensures that there is a close relationship between the legislative and executive branches, which is essential for the operation of a parliamentary system. The head of government’s presence in the legislature allows for active participation in the legislative process, making it easier to pass laws and implement policies, as they have the support of their party members. The other options describe characteristics that do not universally apply to all parliamentary systems. Some parliamentary systems may have members resign from their seats when taking on ministerial roles, but this is not a strict requirement across the board. Seats may be allocated through various electoral systems, including first-past-the-post or mixed systems, rather than strictly proportional representation. Lastly, while coalition governments are common in systems with multiple parties, not all parliamentary systems require coalitions to form a government, especially if one party holds a