Presidential Veto Research Paper

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A presidential veto is a constitutional mechanism that enables an elected head of state to refuse assent to a legislative bill (proposed law) that has been passed by the legislature, but not yet finally enacted. The effect of the presidential veto is to stop the bill from becoming law, unless the veto is overridden according to a constitutionally prescribed procedure which normally involves a super-majority decision in the legislature. The grounds on which the veto power may be exercised and the difficulty of overriding the veto vary between jurisdictions. This Primer focuses on the legislative veto power in presidential and semipresidential democracies, where popularly elected presidents exercise substantial powers and are expected to play