The paper aims to analyze systems of governance in modern democratic states in terms of distinguishing presidential-parliamentary system and to identify its characteristics. The considerations are to lead to a closer description of this mixed system of govern- ment and to indicate its model features. To this end, the author compared the elements that make up the government systems in Portugal and Romania, considering also the features of the parliamentary system and the system of presidential (semi-presidential) governments established in the study of constitutional law.