What is a parliamentary democracy?

A parliamentary democracy is indeed a democratic form of government where the party that gains the most representatives in the legislature forms the government. In this system, the executive branch derives its legitimacy from the legislative branch and is typically composed of members of the legislature.

In a parliamentary democracy, voters elect representatives to a parliament, and the leader of the majority party typically becomes the prime minister. This structure allows for a more unified executive and legislative function, enabling swift policy-making and a cohesive direction for governance. Additionally, because the government can be dissolved and reformed through parliamentary votes, it often reflects the changing will of the electorate more closely than other systems.

This system is different from others like a presidential system, where the president is elected independently of the legislature and may have separate powers, or a direct democracy, where citizens participate directly in decision-making instead of through elected representatives. Understanding these distinctions highlights why option B accurately describes the nature of a parliamentary democracy.