Editing Westminster system (section)

==Characteristics==
The Westminster system of government may include some of the following features:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.psc.nsw.gov.au/employmentportal/ethics-conduct/behaving-ethically/behaving-ethically-guide/section-1/the-westminster-system|title=The Westminster System – Public Service Commission|website=www.psc.nsw.gov.au|language=en|access-date=22 August 2017}}</ref>

* A [[sovereignty|sovereign]] or [[head of state]] who functions as the nominal or legal and constitutional holder of executive power, and holds numerous [[reserve power]]s, but whose daily duties mainly consist of performing ceremonial functions. Examples include King [[Charles III]], the [[Governor-general|governors-general]] in the [[Commonwealth realms]], or the presidents of many countries, and [[State (country subdivision)|state or provincial]] [[governor]]s in [[Federalism|federal systems]]. Exceptions to this are [[President of Ireland|Ireland]] and [[President of Israel|Israel]], whose presidents are de jure and de facto ceremonial, and the [[President of Israel|latter]] possesses no reserve powers whatsoever.
* A [[head of government]] (or head of the executive), known as the [[prime minister]] (PM), [[premier]], [[chief minister]] or [[first minister]]. While the head of state appoints the head of government, constitutional convention suggests that a majority of elected members of parliament must support the person appointed.<ref name="oba">{{cite web|url=http://www.oba.org/En/ccl_en/newsletter_en/v13n1.aspx#Article_3|title=OBA.org – Articles|website=www.oba.org}}</ref> If more than half of elected parliamentarians belong to the same political party, then the parliamentary [[leader]] of that party typically is appointed.<ref name=oba/>
* An [[Executive (government)|executive branch]] led by the head of government usually made up of members of the legislature with the senior members of the executive in a [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] adhering to the principle of [[cabinet collective responsibility]]; such members wields authority on behalf of the nominal or theoretical executive.
* An independent, non-partisan [[civil service]] that advises on, and implements, decisions of the elected government. Civil servants hold permanent appointments and can expect merit-based selection processes and continuity of employment when governments change.<ref name=apsc>{{cite web|url=http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/current-publications/reinvigorating-the-westminster-tradition|title=Reinvigorating The Westminster Tradition|access-date=28 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327121023/http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/current-publications/reinvigorating-the-westminster-tradition|archive-date=27 March 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* A [[Opposition (parliamentary)|parliamentary opposition]] (in a [[multi-party system]]) with an official [[leader of the opposition]], which generally takes on an adversarial role,<ref>{{cite web |title= The Role of the Opposition|url=https://academic.oup.com/book/8812/chapter-abstract/154988816?redirectedFrom=fulltext |website=academic.oup.com |access-date=18 October 2023}}</ref> presenting arguments against the government's policies. In certain countries, the [[leader of the opposition]] is expected to be ready to form a government if the office of head of government becomes vacant.
* A legislature, often [[Bicameralism|bicameral]], with at least one elected house—although [[Unicameralism|unicameral]] systems also exist. Traditionally, the lower house is elected using [[first-past-the-post]] from single-member districts, which is still more common, although some use a system of [[proportional representation]] (e.g. [[Politics of Israel|Israel]], [[Politics of New Zealand|New Zealand]], [[Politics of Denmark|Denmark]]), [[parallel voting]] (e.g. [[Politics of Japan|Japan]], [[Politics of Italy|Italy]]), or [[instant-runoff voting|preferential voting]] (e.g. [[Politics of Papua New Guinea|Papua New Guinea]], [[Politics of Australia|Australia]]).
* A [[lower house]] of parliament with an ability to dismiss a government by "[[Loss of supply|withholding (or blocking) supply]]" (rejecting a budget), passing a [[motion of no confidence]], or defeating a [[Motion of Confidence|confidence motion]].
* A parliament that can be [[dissolution of parliament|dissolved]] and [[snap election]]s called at any time.
* [[Parliamentary privilege]], which allows the legislature to discuss any issue it deems relevant without fear of consequences stemming from defamatory statements or records thereof.
* Minutes of meetings, often known as [[Hansard]], including an ability for the legislature to strike discussion from these minutes.
* The ability of courts to address silence or ambiguity in the [[statutory law]] through the development of [[common law]]. Another parallel system of legal principles also exists known as [[Equity (legal concept)|equity]]. Exceptions to this include India, Quebec in Canada, and Scotland in the UK, among other countries who mix common law with other legal systems.

Most of the procedures of the Westminster system originated with the [[Convention (norm)|conventions]], practices, and [[precedent]]s of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]], which form a part of what is known as the [[Constitution of the United Kingdom]]. Unlike the [[uncodified constitution|uncodified]] British constitution, most countries that use the Westminster system have [[Codification (law)|codified]] the system, at least in part, in a written [[constitution]].

However, uncodified conventions, practices, and precedents continue to play a significant role in most countries, as many constitutions do not specify important elements of procedure. For example, some older constitutions using the Westminster system do not mention the existence of the cabinet or the prime minister, because these offices were taken for granted by the authors of these constitutions. Sometimes these conventions, [[reserve powers]], and other influences collide in times of crisis and in such times the weaknesses of the unwritten aspects of the Westminster system, as well as the strengths of the Westminster system's flexibility, are put to the test. As an illustrative example, in the [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis|Australian constitutional crisis of 1975]], the Governor-General of Australia, [[Sir John Kerr]], dismissed Prime Minister [[Gough Whitlam]] and replaced him with opposition leader [[Malcolm Fraser]].

=== Summary of the typical structure of the Westminster model ===

{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! rowspan=2 | Type 
| rowspan=2 | Bicameral (unicameral in some circumstances) || Elected or appointed upper house to approve and/or scrutinise laws.

* Senate, Legislative Council, House of Lords
|-
| Elected lower house to represent the people and (normally) initiate legislation.

* House of Commons, House of Representatives, Legislative Assembly
|- 
! rowspan=4 | Leadership
| Head of state || Monarch (sometimes represented by a [[vice-regal]] representative, such as a governor or governor-general) or ceremonial president.
|- 
| Head of government ||
Usually the leader of the largest party in the lower house (legislature if unicameral).  

* Prime minister in a sovereign state/country 
* Premier/chief minister in provinces, states, or territories.  
* Other titles include first minister, chief executive, president of the council of ministers.
|-
| rowspan=2 | Presiding officers of legislative chambers || Speaker (or president) of the upper house
|-
| Speaker of the lower house
|- 
! rowspan=4 | General
| Government ||
Formed by the largest party/coalition in the lower house (legislature if unicameral), and led by the  head of government.

* Executive ministers are chosen (normally) from members of the government party or coalition, by the head of government.  They may be from either house in bicameral systems.
* A Cabinet is formed from the most senior ministers, but may include some civil servants.  
* In parliaments without political parties, ministers are either chosen by the prime minister or elected by members at large.
* Government sits in and is responsible to the legislature, to which it reports and is accountable (in particular, to the lower house, if bicameral).
|- 
| Opposition || Led by the leader of the opposition. A shadow cabinet is formed out of the elected members of the largest party or coalition in the legislature not in government, chosen by the party leader (the leader of the opposition).
|- 
| Public service || Politically independent and available to the people of the state, that will work for various government organisations (health, housing, education, defence).
|- 
| Armed forces || Defensive organisation of the state/country.
|}