Which system of government features independent legislative and executive branches?

The presidential system is characterized by a clear separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. In this system, the president serves as both the head of state and the head of government, independently elected from the legislative branch. This distinction allows for a system of checks and balances, where each branch has distinct powers and responsibilities. Legislative bodies can create laws, while the president has the authority to enforce them, ensuring that no single entity has overarching control.

In contrast, parliamentary systems feature a fusion of the legislative and executive branches, where the executive branch derives its legitimacy from the legislative branch and is directly accountable to it. In dictatorships, power is typically concentrated in a single leader or ruling party, often bypassing or undermining independent branches of government. Monarchies can take various forms, but many do not maintain the same level of independence among branches as seen in a presidential system, especially if the monarchy holds significant power over the legislative processes.