The political sytem of Great Britain – maturitní otázka (2)

Otázka: The political sytem of Great Britain

Jazyk: Angličtina

Přidal(a): Michaela

Great Britain – political system

Democracy governed within the framework of constitutional monarchy

This means that the official head of state is the monarch, but his or her powers are limited by the constitution
The British system of government is the oldest parliamentary democracy in Europe

Britain is the member of nearly all important international organisations – UN,EU, NATO and OECD

Branches of political system

Official Head of State is the Queen Elizabeth II.

She had four descendants – Charles – Prince of Wales, Andrew, Edward and Anne
husband – Duke of Edinburgh and a sister – Margaret
The heir of the throne is William
became Queen in 1952
can only reign with a support of Parliament – symbolic head
regular meetings with the Prime minister and she is informed about Cabinet decisions
seat in Buckingham Palace, Windsor castle – weekend house+state visites
the Head of Commonwealth (a group of former and present-day British colonies)
Duties
- – to represent state
- -performs social and ceremonial functions
- – appoint all the Ministers, including the Prime Minister and judges
- – visiting foreign countries
- – holding receptions, recieves diplomats
- -declares war and peace
- – ratifies and makes treaties
- -confer honours
- – summons, prorogues and dissolves Parliament
- – grants or refuses Royal assent to bills
Powers
- -head of the executive and judiciary
- – head of the Church of England
- – command-in-chief of all armed forces
Ceremonies
- – State opening – every year opens a parl.session – in May
- – queen’s speech from the Throne in the House of Lords
- -Garter service
- -Trooping the colour – on official Queen’s birthday

the Parliament

House of Lords

-older – formed in 11^th century
-members are not elected, appointed by the Queen, about 1200
-members consist of hereditary peers, life peers(Lords Temporal), 24 bishops and 2 archbishops (Lords Spiritual)
– hereditary peers inherit their post from generation to generation
– life peers become peers when they do something important for the state
-not involved in matters of taxation and finance
-lord Speaker – attends and speaks at ceremonial occasions
– The leader is called Lord Chancellor

House of Commons

-originated in 13^th century
– contains 650 members – They are elected – every 5 years
– each MP represents a definite part of a county
– Eighteen is the minimum voting age; candidates for election must be over 21
– New bills are introduced and debated – law making authority
– A bill (a proposal of a new law) must pass through the Houses and then is sent to the Queen for Royal Assent
–the speaker
- -elected
- – The chief of the House
- – maintains order in the House

The executive

– political parties – Conservative and Labour, liberal democrats
– The party, which wins the majority of seats, forms the Government and its leader is appointed by the Queen as the Prime Minister
– head of the Government
-re-elected every 5 years
-selects all remaining ministers
– David Cameron – conservative party
– Cabinet is the executive organ of government and meets weekly at 10 Downing street ( where all the British Prime Ministers have lived) to decide on major government questions
– The second party becomes Opposition and forms the Shadow-Cabinet

The judiciary

The United Kingdom constitution is unwritten

British national flag is called „Union Jack“

– symbolises the Union of England, Scotland and Ireland
– dates back from 1801
– The flag is made up of the crosses of the patron saints of England, Ireland and Scotland

National anthem is „God Save The Queen“

representative = představitel