One major problem associated with the cabinet system of government is the

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for a major problem (a disadvantage) of the cabinet system of government. The cabinet system is the parliamentary system, where the executive (Prime Minister and ministers) is drawn from the legislature and is collectively responsible to it.

Step 2: Explain the concept In a cabinet system:

• The Prime Minister and ministers are members of parliament.
• The cabinet is collectively responsible to the legislature.
• The government stays in power only as long as it keeps the confidence of the majority in parliament.

Step 3: Evaluate the options

• A. Abuse of power: This is more typical of systems with a concentration of power, such as presidential or military systems. It is not the defining problem of the cabinet system, since the legislature can check the cabinet.
• B. Frequent change of government: The government depends on parliamentary support. A vote of no confidence, loss of a majority, a broken coalition or a dissolution of parliament can bring down the government. This leads to political instability, as seen in the French Fourth Republic and in Italy. This is a recognized weakness of the system.
• C. Large number of ministers: Ministers in the cabinet system are drawn from parliament and the cabinet is usually small. A large ministerial team is more commonly linked to the presidential system, as in Nigeria's constitutional requirement of at least one minister from each state.
• D. Supremacy of the executive: In a cabinet system, the executive is accountable to the legislature, so this is not a defining problem. It is more of a presidential-system concern.

Step 4: Answer The major problem is that the government can easily collapse and be replaced, which makes for frequent change of government.

Tip: Link the cabinet (parliamentary) system with "instability" through votes of no confidence. Link the presidential system with "separation of powers, rigidity and a large, costly cabinet." In exams, ask yourself, "What can bring this government down?" For a cabinet system, the answer is a loss of parliamentary confidence.