?PAGE ? Chapter 14 Introduction The American presidency is a unique office, with elements of great strength and profound weakness built into it by its constitutional origins. II seq NLA \r 0 \h . Presidents and Prime Ministers SEQ NLA \r 0 \h seq NL1 \r 0 \h Characteristics of parliaments SEQ NL1 \r 0 \h seq NL_a \r 0 \h Chief executive is the prime minister, chosen by the legislature. seq NL_a \r 0 \h Parliamentary system, with a prime minister as the chief executive, is more common than is a federal system with elected president as chief executive. seq NL_a \r 0 \h Prime minister chooses the cabinet ministers from among the members of parliament.