The Westminster political model, also known as the Westminster system, is a democratic parliamentary system of government that originated in the United Kingdom. It is characterized by several key features:
Parliamentary Sovereignty: Parliament is the supreme legal authority, and its decisions are binding. There is no higher legal authority, such as a written constitution, to which laws must conform.
Bicameral Legislature: Most Westminster-style systems have a bicameral legislature consisting of two houses: the lower house (House of Commons) and the upper house (House of Lords or Senate). The lower house is usually elected by the public, while the upper house may be appointed, elected, or a mix of both.
Responsible Government: The executive branch (government) is drawn from and accountable to the legislature (parliament). The head of government (usually the Prime Minister) is typically the leader of the majority party or coalition in the lower house.
Cabinet System: The executive power is vested in the Cabinet, which consists of ministers chosen by the Prime Minister from among members of the legislature. Cabinet members are responsible for specific government departments and collectively make policy decisions.
Collective Responsibility: Cabinet members are collectively responsible for government decisions. This means they publicly support and defend decisions made by the Cabinet, even if they personally disagree with them. If a minister cannot support a decision, they may be required to resign.
Westminster-style Elections: Elections are typically held using a first-past-the-post voting system, where the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins a seat in the legislature. This often leads to majority governments, where one party holds a majority of seats in the lower house.
The Westminster system has been adopted by many former British colonies and territories, particularly in the Commonwealth. Countries that have adopted variants of the Westminster model include:
Canada: Canada’s parliamentary system closely resembles the Westminster model, with a bicameral Parliament, a Prime Minister who leads the government, and a system of responsible government.
Australia: Australia has a federal parliamentary system based on the Westminster model, with a bicameral Parliament, a Prime Minister, and a system of responsible government.
New Zealand: New Zealand’s political system shares many features with the Westminster model, including a unicameral Parliament, a Prime Minister, and a system of responsible government.
India: India’s parliamentary system draws heavily from the Westminster model, with a bicameral Parliament, a Prime Minister, and collective responsibility of the Cabinet.
Jamaica: Jamaica’s parliamentary system is based on the Westminster model, with a bicameral Parliament, a Prime Minister, and a system of responsible government.
These are just a few examples, but variations of the Westminster system can be found in numerous other countries around the world, particularly those with historical ties to the British Empire.