In nearly all cases the body that controls the federal executive branch (such as a cabinet) is elected indirectly.
[3] For instance, in some cases heads of state inherit the position through a monarchy whereas others are indirectly or directly elected such as presidents.
[6] The Electoral College is a controversial issue in U.S. politics, especially following presidential elections when voting is polarized geographically in such a way that the electoral college elects a candidate who did not win an absolute majority of the popular vote.
[12] Republics with parliamentary systems usually elect their head of state indirectly (e.g. Germany, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Hungary, India, Israel, Bangladesh).
The prime minister is thus indirectly elected as political parties elect their own leader through internal democratic process, while the general public choose from amongst the local candidates of the various political parties or independents.
[17] The Westminster model continues to be used in a number of Commonwealth countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
[18] Additionally many nations colonized by the British Empire inherited the Westminster model following their independence.
[19] In Spain, the Congress of Deputies votes on a motion of confidence of the king's nominee (customarily the party leader whose party controls the Congress) and the nominee's political manifesto, an example of an indirect election of the prime minister of Spain.
Although this has never happened, the Bundestag may in theory also choose to elect another person into office, which the president has to accept.
[22] Some countries have nonpartisan heads of government who are appointed by the president, such as the Prime Minister of Singapore.
The Control Yuan of China, formerly a parliamentary chamber, was elected by its respective legislatures across the country: five from each province, two from each directly administered municipality, eight from Mongolia (by 1948 only the Inner Mongolian provinces were represented), eight from Tibet and eight from the overseas Chinese communities.