Westminster system
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The Westminster system is a system of government that originated in the United Kingdom. It is a type of parliamentary democracy with elected representatives. Its major characteristics are:
- the collective and individual responsibility of ministers to Parliament (hence the term responsible government), from which they are drawn;
- a ceremonial head of state (in the UK, Queen Elizabeth II), distinct from the effective head of government (the prime minister);
- a judiciary independent of the executive and legislature.
The Westminster system is so named because the UK Houses of Parliament are situated in the borough of Westminster in London.