Executive (government)

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.

To achieve this, each branch is subject to checks by the other two; in general, the role of the legislature is to pass laws, which are then enforced by the executive, and interpreted by the judiciary.

In those that use fusion of powers, typically parliamentary systems, such as the United Kingdom, the executive forms the government, and its members generally belong to the political party that controls the legislature.

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 or foreign policy.