Head of State

A nation's Head of State is the individual recognised as its leader. In nations with a constitution, the Head of State's authority might be broad, or very narrow. Most democracies have three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

In the United States of America, the President as head of the executive branch is also the Head of State. In constitutional monarchies and some nations like Israel and the old Soviet Union, the Head of State's role is limited to ceremonial duties such as ribbon cutting ceremonies and greeting ambassadors.

The Head of State may be responsible for deciding when the legislature must stand for election, although that authority is governed by strict rules in a constitutional monarchy. In legislatures that follow the example of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the Head of State is authorised to call an election when the House passes a motion of no confidence, or the ruling party fails to pass a budget bill.