New
New
Year 10

How are decisions made in other countries?

I can explain what parliamentary and presidential systems are.

New
New
Year 10

How are decisions made in other countries?

I can explain what parliamentary and presidential systems are.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Countries have different political systems for making decisions.
  2. Parliamentary systems, like the UK, have a Prime Minister.
  3. Presidential systems, like the USA, have a President who is the Head of State and Head of Government.
  4. Hybrid systems, like France, combine elements of other systems.

Keywords

  • Government - the group of people with the authority to govern a country; in the UK, the Government is chosen and led by the Prime Minister (PM)

  • Parliament - an institution of government found in many countries; it often includes one or more parts, e.g., houses/chambers; its main roles are to debate, propose and amend laws and to scrutinise those in power

  • Prime Minister - the leader of the political party who is in power and Head of the Government

Common misconception

All democratic countries make decisions in the same way.

The decision-making process varies between democratic countries and depends on the type of system they follow.


To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: How are decisions made in other countries?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Countries can change and adapt their political systems over time, so it is important to always check for up-to-date information. This knowledge helps pupils see how political systems evolve in response to historical, social or political changes, and why staying informed matters.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Why does separation of powers exist?
To allow one branch to control all decisions.
Correct answer: To prevent any branch from becoming too powerful and to ensure accountability.
To make the Government more efficient by combining branches.
To reduce the number of branches in government.
Q2.
Which branches are involved in separation of powers?
executive, police and legislative
legislative, judiciary and police
courts, executive and judiciary
Correct answer: legislative, executive and judiciary
executive, courts and police
Q3.
Match the branch to its function.
Correct Answer:executive,enforces laws

enforces laws

Correct Answer:judiciary,interprets laws and ensures justice

interprets laws and ensures justice

Correct Answer:legislative,makes laws

makes laws

Q4.
Who has judicial power in the UK?
Parliament
the Prime Minister
the monarch
Correct answer: independent courts
the President
Q5.
In a system with judicial independence, judges are free to make decisions without interference from the ...
Correct Answer: Government
Q6.
Do all countries have a clear separation of powers?
All countries have a clear and strict separation of powers.
Correct answer: Some countries have a clear separation of powers, others may overlap.
All countries have no separation of powers.

6 Questions

Q1.
Match each political system with the correct description.
Correct Answer:hybrid system,combines elements of both parliamentary and presidential systems

combines elements of both parliamentary and presidential systems

Correct Answer:parliamentary system,the Prime Minister is Head of Government, separate from Head of State

the Prime Minister is Head of Government, separate from Head of State

Correct Answer:presidential system,the President is both Head of State and Head of Government

the President is both Head of State and Head of Government

Q2.
In a parliamentary system, the Head of Government is called the…
monarch
President
Correct answer: Prime Minister
Q3.
The is the group of people with the authority to run a country. In the UK, they are led by the Prime Minister.
Correct Answer: Government
Q4.
In the US, what is the President the head of?
Correct answer: Government
Correct answer: State
Parliament
Q5.
Which of these countries has a hybrid system of government combining presidential and parliamentary elements?
Canada
Correct answer: France
United Kingdom
United States
Q6.
Which of the following best explains how democratic countries make decisions?
Democratic countries all use the same system with a President in charge.
Democratic countries all use a Prime Minister to make decisions.
Democratic countries all use a Prime Minister and a President to make decisions.
Correct answer: Democratic countries use different systems based on their political structure.