Europe Government Vocabulary

The law making branch of government

• Executive

• Legislative

• Judicial

A form of government where political authority rests with a single leader

• Monarchy

• Autocratic

• Parliamentary

Title often given to the head of government in a parliamentary democracy

• Prime Minister

• President

• Monarch

Ruled by a king or queen

• Dictatorship

• Monarchy

• Presidential Democracy

The executive and legislative branches are separate bodies elected independently by the citizens through the voting process.

• Presidential Democracy

• Parliamentary Democracy

• Unitary

A government where political authority rests with a nation’s citizens

• Autocratic

• Patriotic

• Democratic

Citizens elect member of a nation’s legislature to represent their interests and pass laws on their behalf. The head of government is selected from among members of the nation’s leading political party.

• Presidential Democracy

• Parliamentary Democracy

• Unitary

Having a legislature divided into an upper and lower house

• Bicameral

• Unicameral

• Tricameral

Ceremonial position with limited government power which is often reserved for a monarch

• Head of Government

• Prime Minister

• Head of State

Basic rights given to citizens that include the right the vote, equal rights, and freedom of the press, speech, and religion.

• Personal Freedoms

• Bill of Rights

• Legislative