The fusion of executive and legislative powers is a core feature of

The fusion of executive and legislative powers is a defining feature of the parliamentary system of government. In this system, the executive branch (the Prime Minister and the Cabinet) is drawn from and remains part of the legislature (Parliament). The Prime Minister is typically the leader of the majority party in the legislature and must maintain the confidence of the legislative body to remain in power.

This means that the same group of people both make laws (legislative function) and implement them (executive function), creating a fusion rather than a separation of powers. Key features of the parliamentary system include:

• The head of government (Prime Minister) is a member of the legislature
• Cabinet ministers are usually drawn from among elected members of parliament
• The executive is collectively responsible to the legislature
• The government can be removed by a vote of no confidence

By contrast, in a presidential system, there is a clear separation of powers between the executive (President) and the legislature - the President is not a member of the legislature and is elected independently. Autocracy and monarchy describe forms of rule, not the structural relationship between executive and legislative branches.