Questions: Question 3 of 10 Which statement best describes a difference between presidential and parliamentary democracies? A. In a parliamentary democracy, voters are able to directly elect the head of state. In a presidential democracy, the head of government is a member of the legislature. B. In a presidential democracy, the executive and legislative branches are joined. In a parliamentary democracy, the two branches are separate. C. In a parliamentary democracy, the head of state is a member of the legislature. In a presidential democracy, the head of state is directly elected by citizens. D. In a presidential democracy, there is a legislative branch but no executive branch. In a parliamentary democracy, there is an executive branch but no legislative branch.

The answer is C: In a parliamentary democracy, the head of state is a member of the legislature. In a presidential democracy, the head of state is directly elected by citizens.

Explanation for each option:

A. Incorrect. In a parliamentary democracy, voters do not directly elect the head of state; instead, they elect members of the legislature, who then select the head of government (usually the prime minister). In a presidential democracy, the head of government (the president) is not a member of the legislature and is elected separately by the citizens.

B. Incorrect. This statement is the opposite of the actual structure. In a presidential democracy, the executive and legislative branches are separate, with the president serving as the head of the executive branch independently of the legislature. In a parliamentary democracy, the executive branch is derived from the legislative branch, with the head of government being a member of the legislature.

C. Correct. In a parliamentary democracy, the head of government (often the prime minister) is typically a member of the legislature and is chosen by the legislative body. In a presidential democracy, the head of state (the president) is directly elected by the citizens, separate from the legislative branch.

D. Incorrect. Both presidential and parliamentary democracies have both executive and legislative branches. In a presidential democracy, the executive branch is separate from the legislative branch, while in a parliamentary democracy, the executive branch is part of the legislative branch.