Despite the exact designation of the position, the role of Presidents in different countries differs quite noticeably. Differences can be in the range of job responsibilities, constitutional powers, and society’s perception of their position. This essay will provide a comparative analysis of the political role of the Presidents of the United States and France and their relationship with representatives of the legislative branch of government.
The President of the United States of America is the chief executive officer and supreme commander. Separation of power into separate branches – executive, legislative and judicial – reduces the risk of usurpation of power and effectively divides responsibilities. The powers of the President of the United States are significant, but he is not the sole ruler and cannot single-handedly change the law (The United States Government, 2022). However, he has the right to veto certain decisions of the legislature and judiciary if they seem to him to be erroneous or doubtful.
Some duties and rights of the President of the United States are similar to those of the President of France. In France, the President is also the chief executive officer. He interacts with the Prime Minister and other government departments and has the power of veto if necessary. However, some differences are noted. For example, the President of France can influence the legislature by dissolving parliament and initiating new elections, which the President of the United States cannot do. In addition, in France, the President has the right to independently draw up and approve laws.
The behavior of the Presidents depends mainly on their characteristics, but sometimes it is determined by the the breadth of powers. For example, former US President Donald Trump paid much attention to foreign policy and tried to pursue his hard line on migrants (McGraw, 2019). French President Emmanuel Macron is more actively involved in domestic issues, for example, the introduction of pension reform – although this only sometimes meets with a positive response from the population (Chappell, 2019).
Despite several differences in the sphere of influence on legislative activity, the Presidents of these two countries have many similar responsibilities. They play critical roles in the political life of their countries. However, in France, the President has more influence over drafting and approving laws than the President of the United States. In general, when assessing the role of the President and his relationship with the legislature, there are more similarities than differences.
References
Chappell, B. (2019). National strike in France shuts down cities over Macron’s pension reform plans. NPR. Web.
McGraw, M. (2019). President Trump unveils new immigration plan. ABC News. Web.
The United States Government. (2022). The executive branch. The White House. Web.