Government Around the World!

There are many forms of government across the world. This includes:

Listed below are a few countries and the form/s of government they represent.

Switzerland: Direct democracy and Representative democracy

Switzerland is a confederation made up of 26 semi-independent states called cantons. Citizens elect representatives to sit in two different lawmaking assemblies. But citizens also vote several times a year to decide on laws. Citizens can vote to propose their own laws or undo laws passed by their representatives. All citizens may vote directly on these laws.

North Korea: Dictatorship

One man leads North Korea and controls its government. He also controls its ruling political party. The ruling party chooses candidates for an Assembly, and citizens vote for party candidates. The candidates do not have opponents, so citizens have no choices.

Saudi Arabia: Theocracy and Monarchy

Saudi Arabia is led by a king. The king appoints a Council of Ministers to help govern, but there are no elections. Saudi Arabia’s Basic Law states that the country’s constitution is the Islamic holy book the Qur’an and other religious traditions.

Denmark: Representative Democracy and Monarchy

The people of Denmark elect representatives to sit in Parliament, a lawmaking body. The Queen of Denmark heads the country, but she only has a small role in government. The government is led by a Prime Minister, who is selected from among the elected representatives, and the Prime Minister can be removed the same way. Government extends from the central government outward to local regions.

Brazil: Representative Democracy

Citizens of Brazil vote for representatives to represent them in two different legislative bodies. The people vote for a president every four years. The president has veto powers, and the legislature can override a veto. States in Brazil retain considerable powers.

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