The US is a democracy, which means people have the power to make decisions about their government. The US is also a republic, meaning that elected leaders represent the people and make decisions on their behalf. The 60th presidential elections took place on November 5.
1. What form of government is followed in the US?
The US has a federal style of government. In the country, power is shared between the national government and state governments. The government has three main branches: the executive branch (the President), the legislative branch (Congress, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives), and the judicial branch (the courts). Each branch keeps a check on the others to ensure there is a balance of power. While India has a parliamentary form of government, which is led by the prime minister, the US has a presidential government.
2. What does the election process entail?
US elections happen on set dates, but the process starts long before the election day. For Presidential elections, held every four years, political parties choose their candidates in a series of state elections called the primaries. They then nominate their candidates for President and Vice President. After that, people across the country vote on election day.
3. Who were the main candidates?
The two main political parties in the US are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Other smaller parties, like the Libertarian Party, also have candidates, but they rarely win majority. This year, while Donald Trump was the Republican Party candidate, Kamala Harris represented Democrats.