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The semi-presidential system is a system of government that features both a prime minister and a president who are active
participants in the day to day functioning of government. It differs from the parliamentary system in that it has a president who is not a ceremonial figurehead and it differs from the presidential system in that it has an executive prime minister who has some responsibility to the legislature.
How the powers between president and prime minister are divided can vary greatly between countries. For example, in France the president is responsible for foreign policy and the prime minister for domestic
policy. In this case, the division of power between the prime minister
and the president is not explicitedly stated in the constitution, but has evolved
as a political convention.
Semi-presidential systems are sometimes characterized by periods of tense cohabitation, in which the prime minister and president are elected separately, and often from
rival parties. This can create an effective system of checks and
balances or a period of bitter stonewalling, depending on the attitudes of the two leaders, the
ideologies of their parties, or the demands of their constituencies. As a typical example, Sri Lankan politics is witnessing a bitter struggle between the President and the Prime Minister, belonging to
different parties and elected separately, over the negotiations with the LTTE to resolve
the longstanding ethnic conflict.
Some current nations that feature semi-presidential systems include:
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