A parliamentary vote is one of the ways that legislators in many nations around the world make laws. Parliamentary systems vary in their form and institutions, but all are based on the principle that voters elect representatives to represent them in the legislature and hold those legislators accountable for the policies they pursue.
Most parliamentary democracies, including Great Britain, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Malaysia use a system of proportional representation to elect members of the legislative body (parliament). This electoral method ensures that smaller political parties have representation in parliament. It also helps ensure that no single party or group can control the government.
In most parliamentary democracies, the head of government derives his or her democratic legitimacy from the support (confidence) of a majority of the legislature to which he or she is accountable. This head of government is usually distinct from a ceremonial head of state and may, but not always, be the leader of the majority party in the legislature.
Lawmaking is the most obvious function of a parliamentary assembly, and it is one that is often the subject of controversy, in part because of the need to set standards for electoral law, such as boundary delimitations. However, by setting these standards and establishing procedures for electoral funding, CSOs and the media, parliament is adopting a consensus that will ensure that elections are respected and credible.
The heads of government and departments are chosen by the majority political party in parliament or a coalition of political parties. The head of government is the prime minister, who selects department ministers from his or her own party and from other parties in a ruling coalition.