The difference between Head of government and Head of state

When used as nouns, head of government means the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet, whereas head of state means the chief public representative of a nation having duties, privileges and responsibilities varying greatly depending on the constitutional rules.


check bellow for the other definitions of Head of government and Head of state

  1. Head of government as a noun:

    The chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet; usually called Prime Minister (in a parliamentary system) or President (in a presidential system).

  1. Head of state as a noun:

    The chief public representative of a nation having duties, privileges and responsibilities varying greatly depending on the constitutional rules; a monarch in a monarchy, and often styled president in a republic, but variations such as collegiality exist.

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