Executive

Executive

Main articles: Executive (government) and Head of State

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is the democratically elected President of Brazil

The "executive" in a legal system refers to the government's centre of political authority. In most democratic countries, like the UK, Germany, India and Japan, it is elected into and drawn from the legislature and is often called the cabinet. Alongside this is usually the head of state, who lacks formal political power but symbolically enacts laws. The head of state is sometimes appointed (the Bundespräsident in Germany), sometimes hereditary (British monarch) and sometimes elected by popular vote (the President of Austria). The other important model is found in countries like France, the U.S. or Russia. Under these presidential systems, the executive branch is separate from the legislature, and is not accountable to it.^[111]

The executive's role may vary from country to country. Usually it will initiate or propose the majority of legislation and handle a country's foreign relations. The military and police often fall under executive control, as well as the bureaucracy. Ministers, or secretaries of state of the government head a country's public offices, such as the health department or the department of justice. The election of a different executive is therefore capable of revolutionising an entire country's approach to government