A parliamentary vote is an official decision made by the members of a legislative body in a parliamentary system. This type of democracy is largely found in the Commonwealth nations that were formerly part of the British Empire, but it is also used by several European countries and by some other nations, including Australia and New Zealand, that are influenced by the Westminster political tradition. Parliamentary systems are characterized by the supremacy of the legislative branch, usually a unicameral (one-chamber) or bicameral (two-chamber) legislature that votes on laws. The head of state — a hereditary monarch or queen in the case of Britain, Canada, India and Malaysia, or a democratically elected president or chancellor in Germany, Italy and Austria — may have veto powers over bills passed by the legislature, but they can be overcome with a simple majority vote in the parliament.
In a parliamentary system, voters select a member of a political party to represent them in the legislature. If the party does not have a majority, it may form a coalition. The leader of the ruling party becomes the prime minister and executive cabinet members are appointed by him or her.
The parliamentary system can be more responsive to popular influence than the presidential system. In his 1867 book The English Constitution, Walter Bagehot praised parliamentary systems for producing serious debate and allowing the legislature to change over quickly between elections. He also criticized the fixed-period presidential system as unnatural, because it can lead to periods of legislative gridlock.