I've been paying attention to the recent elections in Great Britain recently and it's interested to me how they do things a little differently. I've known that the Monarch is largely ceremonial and considered a head of state. The Prime Minister position has me most confused. David Cameron is likely to be the next Prime Minister of Great Britain, and the new head of government. I think I am confused, because there is no official election for Prime Minister of Great Britain. Mr. Cameron is leader of the party with the most legislative seats. So...is the Prime Minister of Great Britain similar to our Speaker of the House. The Speaker was not elected by the people as Speaker, but because her party has the most legislative seats they (the legislators) elected her Speaker (just as I am assuming Cameron will be elected by the legislators in England). Am I correct? I know that the President is elected by the electoral college. I'm wondering if the Prime Minister is elected by the British Parliament, which I guess is similar to our system, because the electoral college is basically the Congress.
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Once a Prime Minister is selected, they serve until they resign or a vote of no confidence hits the floor. Then elections begin, England is a multi-party system (more than 2 parties) so their isn't always a majority. The majority winners of elections get together and compromise on a leader. Technically, in the US, the president is NOT selected by voters. A political party is selected by voters and each state seats electors delegated to vote on behalf of that party. Electors are not required to vote for the person they pledged to vote for. It is the electoral college that actually casts the votes for president, the popular votes chooses who the electors are. I know it says "Obama" or "McCain" on the ballot, but you are technically voting for Democrats or Republicans when you vote in the US.
