47ed18c3_Systems_of_Democracy__Parliamentary_Democracy
[Direct Democracy] History shows that from time to time the Swiss people does correct decisions of parliament and goverment that give in too much to lobby pressure, so Direct Democracy seems to offer effective checks and balances. But sometimes it just takes a long time (decades, not years) until a new idea is finally broadly accepted. [Presidential Democracy] The separation of powers - though it might seem very clear in theory - does not automatically provide more effective checks and balances between parliament and government than in a Parliamentary Democracy. [Parliamentary Democracy] 
If there are only two relevant parties and one has a comfortable majority, the parliamentary system offers few effective checks and balances.
Systems of Democracy
Parliamentary Democracy