Why Do Some Countries Have Stronger Parliaments Than Others?

Imagine two ways to run a club. In one way, the president is like a captain who stays for four years no matter what. If they make mistakes, you just have to wait until their time is up to vote them out. In another way, the prime minister is chosen by the club members themselves. If the members get annoyed with the leader, they can hold a quick vote and say 'you are fired' right then and there.

Countries with strong parliaments work like this team spirit model. The leaders must keep their friends in parliament happy because those same friends can kick them out if things go wrong. This makes the government very responsive to what people want, but it also means leaders might change more often than in countries with presidents.

Because the leader is tied so closely to the group, nothing gets stuck. If everyone agrees on a new rule, it happens fast. But if the team starts fighting, the whole government can collapse like a house of cards. Presidents are slower to change but harder to knock over.