Executive Systems Practice Test

A textbook chapter compares executive systems, describing the United States as presidential with separation of powers and checks and balances, the United Kingdom as parliamentary with executive accountability to the legislature, and France as semi-presidential with a dual executive that evolved under the Fifth Republic. Which of the following best describes a presidential system as discussed in the passage?

According to the text, France’s semi-presidential system (created with the Fifth Republic in 1958) features a dual executive, while the U.S. presidential system separates branches and the U.K. parliamentary system ties executive survival to legislative confidence. What are the key characteristics of a semi-presidential system as outlined in the passage?