ABSTRACT
Accountability is a fundamental principle of democratic political systems. The people must have the opportunity to hold accountable those who make decisions on their behalf. Needless to say, there are many different forms of accountability. Most notably, there are direct and indirect forms of accountability. In parliamentary systems, accountability is primarily indirect. That is to say, directly elected representatives have the power to hold governments responsible for their actions. In such a system, the role of parliament is central. For example, governments come to office with the approval of parliament and remain in office only for so long as they maintain that approval. Equally, the activity of government is scrutinised by parliamentary committees and individual deputies. One key element of this system is the relationship between the head of government and parliament. Usually, the head of government is the most important person within the government and the relationship between the head of government and the parliament is one of the most crucial aspects of the democratic system as a whole.
