Head of State

A nation's Head of State is the individual recognized as its leader.

In nations with a consistution the Head of States authority might be broad, or very narrow.

Most democracies have three branches of government, an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch.

In the United States of America the President, the 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, like ribbon cutting ceremonies, greeting ambassadors, and, deciding when the legislature must stand for election. However, the election calling authority is gothverned by strict rules. In legislatures that follow the example of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the Head of State is authorized to call an election when the House passes a motion of no confidence, or the ruling party fails to pass a budget bill.