It may be a monarch or it may be a president - it doesn't matter - but there must be one chief executive officer on the head. That you cannot avoid. That is essential

Expressions researched:
"It may be a monarch or it may be a president—it doesn't matter—but there must be one chief executive officer on the head. That you cannot avoid. That is essential"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The whole thing has to be changed, the prajās and the king. The advantage of democracy is there. By votes you can elect somebody as president. One has to follow the principle, monarch, one man on the head of the government. It may be a monarch or it may be a president—it doesn't matter—but there must be one chief executive officer on the head. That you cannot avoid. That is essential. Therefore if we do not have an ideal president or ideal king on the head, and the prajās also, the citizens, they do not follow the varṇāśrama, then there cannot be any peace.

761115 - Lecture SB 05.05.28 - Vrndavana

So both ways. The king should be ideal, as here it is, paramahaṁsa. Mahānubhāvaḥ. So, and the prajā should be also strictly following varṇāśrama-dharma. Then this world will be happy. Otherwise it is not possible. Not one-sided. "The king is not good. Dethrone him. Kill him," and some rascals and fools in the name of democracy, they occupy the seat. What benefit will be there? The whole thing has to be changed, the prajās and the king. The advantage of democracy is there. By votes you can elect somebody as president. One has to follow the principle, monarch, one man on the head of the government. It may be a monarch or it may be a president—it doesn't matter—but there must be one chief executive officer on the head. That you cannot avoid. That is essential. Therefore if we do not have an ideal president or ideal king on the head, and the prajās also, the citizens, they do not follow the varṇāśrama, then there cannot be any peace.