The country has a bicameral legislature and a political party system, based on universal adult suffrage and fair elections.

In keeping with the Westminster system of governance, Barbados has evolved into an independent parliamentary democracy, meaning that all political power rests with the Parliament under a non-political President as head of state.

Executive authority is vested in the President, who normally acts only on the advice of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who are collectively responsible to Parliament.

Fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual are set out in the Constitution and are protected by a strict legal code.

There is a simultaneous dissolution of both Houses of Parliament by the President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister.

After decades of republicanism, the monarchy was abolished and replaced with a new head of state office, the President of Barbados, on 30 November 2021.

Source: BGIS Under Barbados' version of the Westminster system of government, the executive and legislative branches are partly intertwined.

At the time of independence, the Parliament of the United Kingdom lost its ability to legislate for Barbados, but the existing English and British common law and statutes in force at that time, together with other measures already adopted by the Barbadian Parliament, became the basis of the new country's legal system.

Legislation may be shaped or influenced by such organisations as the United Nations, the Organization of American States, or other international bodies to which Barbados has obligatory commitments by treaty.