The British political system is a constitutional monarchy combined with a parliamentary democracy. This means that while there is a monarch, currently King Charles III, the real power lies with elected officials. The Parliament consists of two houses: the House of Commons, made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) elected by the public, and the House of Lords, which includes appointed members and bishops. The Prime Minister, usually the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, is the head of government and is responsible for running the country. The government is accountable to Parliament, and elections are typically held every five years, allowing citizens to vote for their representatives.