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{{Short description|Branch overseeing administration of the state}}
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{{Executive}}
{{Politics sidebar}}
The '''executive''' is the part of the government that executes or enforces the law and policy of a government. It can be organised as a [[branch of government]], as in [[liberal democracy|liberal democracies]], or as an organ of the [[unified state apparatus]], as is the case in [[communist state]]s.

== Function ==
The scope of executive power varies greatly depending on the political context in which it emerges, and it can change over time in a given country. They are usually laid out in a [[constitution]] In democratic countries, the executive often exercises broad influence over national politics, though limitations are often applied to the executive.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Martinez |first=Jenny S. |date=2006 |title=Inherent Executive Power: A Comparative Perspective |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20455703 |journal=The Yale Law Journal |volume=115 |issue=9 |pages=2480–2511 |doi=10.2307/20455703 |jstor=20455703 |issn=0044-0094 |access-date=2022-12-30 |archive-date=2022-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230180659/https://www.jstor.org/stable/20455703 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In [[political system]]s based on the [[separation of powers]], government [[authority]] is distributed between several branches to prevent power from being concentrated in the hands of a single person or group. To achieve this, each branch is subject to checks by the other branches; in general, the executive or the [[legislature]] can propose laws, the legislature can pass or block laws, laws are then enforced by the executive, and interpreted by the [[judiciary]]. The executive can also be the source of certain types of law or law-derived rules, such as a [[decree]], [[executive order]], or [[delegated legislation]]. For example, the [[United States Congress|U.S. federal legislative branch]] frequently delegates [[rulemaking]] (creation of [[Code of Federal Regulations|regulations]]) to the [[Federal government of the United States#Executive branch|U.S. federal executive branch]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Legislative Branch |url=https://regulatorystudies.columbian.gwu.edu/legislative-branch |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Regulatory Studies Center, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences |publisher=The George Washington University |language=en}}</ref>

In those that have [[fusion of powers]], typically [[parliamentary system]]s, such as the [[United Kingdom]], the executive is often referred to as the 'government', and its members generally belong to the political party that controls the legislature. Since the executive requires the support and approval of the legislature, the two bodies are "fused" together, rather than being independent. The principle of [[parliamentary sovereignty]] means powers possessed by the executive are solely dependent on those granted by the legislature, which can also subject its actions to judicial review. However, the executive often has wide-ranging powers stemming from the control of the government [[bureaucracy]], especially in the areas of overall [[Economic policy|economic]] or [[foreign policy]].

== Political creation ==
[[File:Vanhasen II hallitus.JPG|thumb|[[Vanhanen II Cabinet]] in a session of the [[Parliament of Finland|Finnish Parliament]], 2007]]

In [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary systems]], the executive is [[Motion of no confidence|responsible]] to the elected legislature, and must maintain the confidence of the legislature, or one part of it, if bicameral. In certain circumstances (varying by state), the legislature can express its lack of confidence in the executive, which causes either a change in the governing party or group of parties or a general election.

Parliamentary systems have a head of government (who leads the executive, often called [[Minister (government)|ministers]]) normally distinct from the head of state (who continues through governmental and electoral changes). In the [[Westminster system|Westminster type of parliamentary system]], the principle of separation of powers is not as entrenched as in some others.

Members of the executive (ministers) are also members of the legislature, and hence play an important part in both the writing and enforcing of law. In [[presidential system]]s, the directly elected head of government appoints the ministers. Ministers can be directly elected by voters, such as in Switzerland at the cantonal (state) level.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Buchs |first1=Aurélia |last2=Soguel |first2=Nils |date=2022-04-01 |title=Fiscal performance and the re-election of finance ministers–evidence from the Swiss cantons |journal=Public Choice |language=en |volume=191 |issue=1 |pages=31–49 |doi=10.1007/s11127-021-00949-z |s2cid=246371550 |issn=1573-7101|doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Internal organization and personnel ==
In a [[presidential system]], the leader of the executive is both the head of state and government.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Executive Branch|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-executive-branch/|website=The White House|access-date=4 July 2015|archive-date=20 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120171257/https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-executive-branch/|url-status=live}}</ref> In some cases, such as [[South Korea]], there is a Prime Minister who assists the President, but who is not the head of government but is the second in the chain.

In a [[parliamentary system]], a [[cabinet (government)|cabinet]] [[minister (government)|minister]] responsible to the [[legislature]] is the head of government, while the head of state is usually a largely ceremonial monarch or president.<ref>{{cite web|title=Executive Branch of Government in Canada|url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/House/compendium/web-content/c_d_executivebranchgovernmentcanada-e.htm|website=Parliament of Canada|access-date=4 July 2015|archive-date=2 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502144022/http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/House/compendium/web-content/c_d_executivebranchgovernmentcanada-e.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The top leadership roles of the executive branch may include:
* [[head of government]] – often the [[prime minister]], overseeing the [[Administration (government)|administration]] of all affairs of state.
** [[defence minister]] – overseeing the [[armed forces]], determining military policy, and managing external safety.
** [[interior minister]] – overseeing the [[police forces]], enforcing the law, and managing internal control.
** [[foreign minister]] – overseeing the [[diplomatic service]], determining [[foreign policy]] and managing [[foreign relations]].
** [[finance minister]] – overseeing the treasury, determining [[fiscal policy]] and managing [[national budget]].
** [[justice minister]] – overseeing criminal prosecutions, corrections, enforcement of court orders.

==See also==
* [[Constitution]]
* [[Diarchy]]
* [[Legal reform]]
* [[Rule according to higher law]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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{{Civil service}}
{{law}}
{{Separation of powers}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Executive (Government)}}
[[Category:Constitutional law]]
[[Category:Separation of powers]]
[[Category:Public law]]
[[Category:Executive branches of government| ]]