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Types of Political Systems

Answer the following: What is a political system? Which four types can be distinguished within representative system of government? What is the role of a head of state in parliamentary government? Which are characteristics of semi-presidential system?

Translate into Croatian: Parliamentary government is organically linked to the legislature, or parliament. The government emerges from the assembly and can be dismissed by a vote of no confidence. At the same time, government can – often after consultations with the head of state – dissolve parliament and call for a new election.

Translate into English: zakonodavne ovlasti provođenje mjera politike obnašati dužnost izglasati nepovjerenje višestranačka vlada suverenost vlade

The Legislative Branch

Answer the following: What are the most important functions of parliaments? Which changes affected the power and role of parliaments in the 20th century? How can parliaments hold governments to account? What are interpollations? How do parliaments differ with respect to their organization?

Translate into Croatian: The relationship with government is one of the key dimensions to understanding parliaments. Depending on the type of political system, parliament may have different tools with which to hold government to account, such as a motion of censure that could bring the government down if approved. But the relationship with the executive goes well beyond accountability. The main focus of that relationship usually revolves around the production of legislation, but it also concerns the scrutiny of government activity.

Complete the following: The powers and roles of parliaments differ according to their __________________. Depending on the type of political system, parliament may have different tools with which to hold government to account, such as a ______________. The main function traditionally associated with parliaments is ____________. Parliamentary activity is divided between the ____________ and ________________.

The Executive Branch

Answer the following: What is a government? What are functions of the government? What are functions of the Prime Minister? What is a coalition? What does representativeness mean?

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the list below: support, policy, confidence, account, house, committee The prime minister and other senior ministers form the Cabinet, which is the top-most decision making _______________. The ministers are accountable to the Parliament which they also sit in while the government is dependent on the Parliament for ______________ making. The government is expected to maintain the ______________ of the House of Commons since it requires its ______________ for the passing of primary legislations. If the government loses the confidence of the lower ______________, it is forced to either resign or a General Election is held. The members of Parliament have an opportunity to put the prime minister to _____________ during the Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Translate into Croatian: In a parliamentary government, the cabinet is responsible to parliament. There is mutual dependence, contrary to the dualism in a presidential government; parliamentary majorities can topple the government by votes of non-confidence, and government can dissolve parliament and call for new elections. In general, there are parliamentary governments throughout Europe. Presidential government tends to be less dependent on parties.

The Judicial Branch

Answer the following: What is the judiciary? Who are parties in a criminal case? Who else is involved in judicial proceedings? Which are courts of general jurisdiction in Croatia? What does the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia decide on?

Translate into Croatian: Judiciaries also frequently resolve administrative cases, disputes between individuals, groups, or legal entities and government agencies over the application of laws or the implementation of government programs. Most legal systems have incorporated the principle of state sovereignty, whereby governments may not be sued by non-state litigants without their consent. This principle limits the right of litigants to pursue remedies against government actions.

Translate into English: općinski sud jedinstvena primjena zakona stranke u sporu zatvorska kazna počinitelj kaznenog djela pravni lijek

The Police

Answer the following: What are the main police powers? Which articles of the European Convention of Human Rights regulate police actions? What is the police in charge of? What kind of force is the police entitled to use? What brought about the establishment of professional police forces? What does police legitimacy rely on?

Translate into Croatian: The police are entrusted with the power to investigate offences. Yet, just because a person comes under suspicion of being involved in criminal activity, this does not mean that he loses all rights to the freedom of his person. The law has to strike a balance between preserving and safeguarding the rights of individuals and giving the police the necessary powers to carry out their tasks effectively.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list below: obstruction, injury, damage, prosecution, warrant, decency A constable may arrest a person without a __________ to prevent the person in question from causing physical __________ to himself or any other person, causing loss of or ____________ to property, committing an offence against public _______________, causing an unlawful ____________________ of the highway or to prevent any __________________ for the offence from being hindered by the disappearance of the person in question.

International Law and Diplomacy

Answer the following: What is public international law? Which are sources of international law? What is diplomacy? What is the purpose of foreign policy? What may happen if diplomacy fails? How is diplomacy useful during war?

Translate into Croatian: The statute of the International Court of Justice, which is the judicial arm of the United Nations, states that the basis on which it adjudicates cases before it are international conventions establishing rules expressly recognized by contesting states, international custom as evidence of a general practice accepted as law and the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations as well as judicial decisions and teachings of jurists as subsidiary means for the determination of rules of law.

Diplomacy is strongly inclined toward negotiation to achieve ____________ and resolve _____________. Diplomacy is the chief, but not the only, instrument of _________________. Diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of ____________. Primary tools of diplomacy are _________________.

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