Two differences between parliamentary and presidential forms of government:
1. Difference on the basis of executive:
In parliamentary system, executive has two forms – nominal executive and real executive. President of India and King or Queen of England are nominal or legal executive ; and Prime Minister is real executive. In presidential government, executive is singular, and President is the real executive. In this, there is no difference in nominal and real executive, for example – President of United States of America.
2. Difference on the basis of relations between executive and legislature:
In parliamentary form of government, there are close relations between legislature and executive. The leader of majority party is the Prime Minister and he forms his council of ministers from the legislature, whereas in presidential government, these two organs have no relation nor is the executive formed from the legislature. President appoints his secretaries (ministers) on his own, independently.