Unicameralism

Last updated

Unicameralism (from uni- "one" + Latin camera "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. [1] Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly 60% of all national legislatures [2] and an even greater share of subnational legislatures.

Contents

Sometimes, as in New Zealand and Denmark, unicameralism comes about through the abolition of one of two bicameral chambers, or, as in Sweden, through the merger of the two chambers into a single one, while in others a second chamber has never existed from the beginning.

Rationale for unicameralism and criticism

The principal advantage of a unicameral system is more efficient lawmaking, as the legislative process is simpler and there is no possibility of deadlock between two chambers. Proponents of unicameralism have also argued that it reduces costs, even if the number of legislators stays the same, since there are fewer institutions to maintain and support financially. More popular among modern-day democratic countries, unicameral, proportional legislatures are widely seen as both more democratic and effective. [3]

Proponents of bicameral legislatures say that having two legislative chambers offers an additional restraint on the majority, though critics note that there are other ways to restrain majorities, such as through non-partisan courts and a robust constitution. [4]

List of unicameral legislatures

.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
Countries with a bicameral legislature.
Countries with a unicameral legislature.
Countries with a unicameral legislature and an advisory body.
Countries with no legislature. Unibicameral Map.svg
  Countries with a bicameral legislature.
  Countries with a unicameral legislature.
  Countries with a unicameral legislature and an advisory body.
  Countries with no legislature.

Approximately half of the world's sovereign states are currently unicameral. The People's Republic of China is somewhat in-between, with a legislature and a formal advisory body. China has a Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference which meets alongside the National People's Congress, in many respects an advisory "upper house".

Many subnational entities have unicameral legislatures. These include the state of Nebraska and territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands in the United States, the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, the Australian state of Queensland as well as the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, a majority of the provinces of Argentina, all of the provinces and territories in Canada, all of the regions of Italy, all of the provinces of Nepal, all of the Spanish autonomous communities, both of the autonomous regions of Portugal, most of the states and union territories of India, and all of the states of Brazil and Germany. In the United Kingdom, the devolved Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the London Assembly are also unicameral.

National (UN member states and observers)

Federal

CountryUnicameral bodySeatsNotes
Flag of Germany.svg Germany Bundestag 630The Bundestag is technically the unicameral parliament of Germany, since the Basic Law (German constitution) defines the Bundesrat not as a chamber of the legislature, but as a completely separate legislative institution.
Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq Council of Representatives 329A provision exists for the founding of a "Council of Union", but no move to this effect has been initiated by the existing Council
Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg Micronesia Congress 14
Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg Saint Kitts and Nevis National Assembly 15
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates Federal National Council 40
Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela National Assembly 277

Unitary

CountryUnicameral bodySeatsNotes
Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan Leadership Council 30Purely advisory, powers reside in the emir.
Flag of Albania.svg Albania Kuvendi 140
Flag of Andorra.svg Andorra General Council of Andorra 28
Flag of Angola.svg Angola National Assembly 220
Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia National Assembly 107
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan National Assembly 125
Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad 350
Flag of Benin.svg Benin National Assembly 109
Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana National Assembly 69
Flag of Brunei.svg Brunei Legislative Council 34Purely advisory, powers reside in the King
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria National Assembly 240
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso National Assembly 127
Flag of Cape Verde.svg Cape Verde National Assembly 72
Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic National Assembly 140
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China National People's Congress 2977
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica Legislative Assembly 57
Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia Sabor 151
Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba National Assembly of People's Power 470
Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus House of Representatives 56
Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark Folketing 179
Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti National Assembly 65
Flag of Dominica.svg Dominica House of Assembly 32
Flag of East Timor.svg East Timor National Parliament 65
Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador National Assembly 151
Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador Legislative Assembly 60
Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea National Assembly 150
Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia Riigikogu 101
Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Parliament 55
Flag of Finland.svg Finland Parliament 200
Flag of The Gambia.svg Gambia National Assembly 58
Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia Parliament 150
Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana Parliament 276
Flag of Greece.svg Greece Parliament 300
Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala Congress 160
Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea National Assembly 81
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau National People's Assembly 102
Flag of Guyana.svg Guyana National Assembly 65
Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Honduras National Congress 128
Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary National Assembly 199
Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland Althing 63
Flag of Iran.svg Iran Islamic Consultative Assembly 290
Flag of Israel.svg Israel Knesset 120
Flag of Kiribati.svg Kiribati House of Assembly 45
Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea Supreme People's Assembly 687
Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea National Assembly 300
Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait National Assembly 65
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan Supreme Council 90
Flag of Laos.svg Laos National Assembly 164
Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia Saeima 100
Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon Parliament 128
Flag of Libya.svg Libya House of Representatives 200
Flag of Liechtenstein.svg Liechtenstein Landtag 25
Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania Seimas 141
Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies 60
Flag of Malawi.svg Malawi National Assembly 193
Flag of Maldives.svg Maldives Majlis 93
Flag of Mali.svg Mali National Assembly 147
Flag of Malta.svg Malta Parliament 79
Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg Marshall Islands Legislature 33
Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania Parliament 176
Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius National Assembly 66
Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova Parliament 101
Flag of Monaco.svg Monaco National Council 24
Flag of Mongolia.svg Mongolia State Great Khural 126
Flag of Montenegro.svg Montenegro Parliament 81
Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique Assembly of the Republic 250
Flag of Nauru.svg Nauru Parliament 19
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand Parliament 123
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua National Assembly 90
Flag of Niger.svg Niger National Assembly 171
Flag of North Macedonia.svg North Macedonia Assembly 120
Flag of Norway.svg Norway Storting 169
Flag of Panama.svg Panama National Assembly 71
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg Papua New Guinea National Parliament 118
Flag of Peru.svg Peru Congress of the Republic 130In 2026 the Congress will return to a bicameral legislature,
with a 60-seat Senate and 130-seat Chamber of Deputies.
Flag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal Assembly of the Republic 230
Flag of Qatar.svg Qatar Consultative Assembly 45
Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg Saint Vincent and the Grenadines House of Assembly 21
Flag of Samoa.svg Samoa Legislative Assembly 51
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia Consultative Assembly 150Purely advisory, powers reside in the King
Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino Grand and General Council 60
Flag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg São Tomé and Príncipe National Assembly 55
Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal National Assembly 165
Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia National Assembly 250
Flag of Seychelles.svg Seychelles National Assembly 35
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone Parliament 149
Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore Parliament 99
Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia National Council 150
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg Solomon Islands National Parliament 50
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka Parliament 225
Flag of Suriname.svg Suriname National Assembly 51
Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Riksdag 349
Flag of Syria (2025-).svg Syria People's Assembly 210
Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania National Assembly 393
Flag of Tonga.svg Tonga Legislative Assembly 26
Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia National Assembly 161
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Grand National Assembly 600
Flag of Turkmenistan.svg Turkmenistan Assembly 125
Flag of Tuvalu.svg Tuvalu Parliament 16
Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda Parliament 529
Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine Verkhovna Rada 450
Flag of Vanuatu.svg Vanuatu Parliament 52
Flag of Vatican City (2023-present).svg Vatican City Pontifical Commission 8All powers delegated by the sovereign
Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam National Assembly 500
Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia National Assembly 167

Territorial

CountryUnicameral bodySeatsNotes
Flag of Aland.svg Åland Islands Parliament 30
Flag of Anguilla.svg Anguilla House of Assembly 13
Flag of Aruba.svg Aruba Parliament 21
Flag of the Azores.svg Azores Legislative Assembly 57
Flag of Bougainville.svg Bougainville House of Representatives 41Autonomous region of Papua New Guinea
Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg British Virgin Islands House of Assembly 15
Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly 21
Flag of the Cook Islands.svg Cook Islands Parliament 24
Flag of Curacao.svg Curaçao Parliament 21
Flag of the Falkland Islands.svg Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly 11
Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg Faroe Islands Løgting 33
Flag of French Polynesia.svg French Polynesia Assembly 57
Flag of Gibraltar.svg Gibraltar Parliament 17
Flag of Greenland.svg Greenland Inatsisartut 31
Flag of Guam.svg Guam Legislature 15Unincorporated territory of the United States
Flag of Guernsey.svg Guernsey States 40
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong Legislative Council 90
Flag of Jersey.svg Jersey States Assembly 54
Flag of Madeira.svg Madeira Legislative Assembly 47
Flag of Macau.svg Macao Legislative Assembly 33
Flag of Montserrat.svg Montserrat Legislative Assembly 11
Flags of New Caledonia.svg New Caledonia Congress 54
Flag of Niue.svg Niue Assembly 20
Flag of the Pitcairn Islands.svg Pitcairn Islands Island Council 10
Flag of France.svg Saint Barthélemy Territorial Council 19
Flag of Saint Helena.svg Saint Helena Legislative Council 15
Flag of France.svg Saint Martin Collectivity of Saint Martin 23
Flag of France.svg Saint Pierre and Miquelon Territorial Council 19
Flag of Sint Maarten.svg Sint Maarten Parliament 15
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Tobago House of Assembly 15
Flag of Tokelau.svg Tokelau General Fono 20
Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands.svg Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly 21
Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature 15
Flag of France.svg Wallis and Futuna Territorial Assembly 20

State parliaments with limited recognition

CountryUnicameral bodySeatsNotes
Flag of the Republic of Abkhazia.svg Abkhazia People's Assembly 35
Flag of Kosovo.svg Kosovo Assembly 120
Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg Northern Cyprus Assembly of the Republic 50
Flag of Palestine.svg State of Palestine Legislative Council 132
Flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.svg Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic National Council 51
Flag of South Ossetia.svg South Ossetia Parliament 34
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan Legislative Yuan 113The original constitution is partially superseded by the additional articles only on Taiwan which replaced the tricameral parliament into a unicameral one. A sunset clause in the additional articles will terminate them in the event of a hypothetical resumption of ROC rule in Mainland China.
Flag of Transnistria (state).svg Transnistria Supreme Council 33

Subnational

Federations

Provincial legislatures in Argentina Legislaturas provinciales de Argentina.png
Provincial legislatures in Argentina

Devolved governments

Others

List of historical unicameral legislatures

National

Subnational

Other

Unicameralism in the Philippines

Though the current Congress of the Philippines is bicameral, the country experienced unicameralism in 1898 and 1899 (during the First Philippine Republic), from 1935 to 1941 (the Commonwealth era) and from 1943 to 1944 (during the Japanese occupation). Under the 1973 Constitution, the legislative body was called Batasang Pambansa, which functioned also a unicameral legislature within a parliamentary system (1973–1981) and a semi-presidential system (1981–1986) form of government.

The ongoing process of amending or revising the current Constitution and form of government is popularly known as Charter Change. A shift to a unicameral parliament was included in the proposals of the constitutional commission created by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. [7] Unlike in the United States, senators in the Senate of the Philippines are elected not per district and state but nationally; the Philippines is a unitary state. [8] The Philippine government's decision-making process, relative to the United States, is more rigid, highly centralised, much slower and susceptible to political gridlock. As a result, the trend for unicameralism as well as other political system reforms are more contentious in the Philippines. [9]

While Congress is bicameral, all local legislatures are unicameral: the Bangsamoro Parliament, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Boards), Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Councils), Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Councils), Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Councils), and the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Councils).

Unicameralism in the United States

Three U.S. states and territories have a unicameral legislature: the state of Nebraska, and the territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands.

The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the supreme legislative body of the state of Nebraska and the only unicameral state legislature in the United States. Its members are called "senators", as it was originally the upper house of a bicameral legislature before the Nebraska House of Representatives dissolved in 1937. The legislature is also notable for being nonpartisan and officially recognizes no party affiliation, making Nebraska unique among US states. With 49 members, it is also the smallest legislature of any US state.

A 2018 study found that efforts to adopt unicameralism in Ohio and Missouri failed due to rural opposition. [10] There was a fear in rural communities that unicameralism would diminish their influence in state government. [10]

Local government legislatures of counties, cities, or other political subdivisions within states are usually unicameral and have limited lawmaking powers compared to their state and federal counterparts.

Some of the 13 colonies which became independent, such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New Hampshire had initially introduced strong unicameral legislature and (relatively) less powerful governors with no veto power. Pennsylvania's constitution lasted only 14 years. In 1790, conservatives gained power in the state legislature, called a new constitutional convention, and rewrote the constitution. The new constitution substantially reduced universal male suffrage, gave the governor veto power and patronage appointment authority, and added an upper house with substantial wealth qualifications to the unicameral legislature. Thomas Paine called it a constitution unworthy of America.[ citation needed ]

In 1944, Missouri held a vote on changing the General Assembly to a unicameral one, which was narrowly rejected by the voters 52.42–47.58. Only the city of St. Louis and the St. Louis County voted in favor, whilst Jackson County (containing the bulk of Kansas City) narrowly voted against, and all other counties voted against the change to unicameralism. [11] [12]

In 1970, North Dakota voters voted to call a constitutional convention. In 1972, a change to a unicameral legislature was approved by 69.36–30.64, [13] however, since the voters rejected the new constitution at the same referendum, it never took effect. [14]

In 1999, Governor Jesse Ventura proposed converting the Minnesota Legislature into a single chamber. [15] Although debated, the idea was never adopted.

The US territory of Puerto Rico held a non-binding referendum in 2005. Voters approved changing its Legislative Assembly to a unicameral body by 456,267 votes in favor (83.7%) versus 88,720 against (16.3%). [16] If both the territory's House of Representatives and Senate had approved by a 23 vote the specific amendments to the Puerto Rico Constitution that are required for the change to a unicameral legislature, another referendum would have been held in the territory to approve such amendments. If those constitutional changes had been approved, Puerto Rico could have switched to a unicameral legislature as early as 2015.

On June 9, 2009, the Maine House of Representatives voted to form a unicameral legislature, but the measure did not pass the Senate. [17]

Because of legislative gridlock in 2009, former Congressman Rick Lazio, a prospective candidate for governor, has proposed that New York adopt unicameralism. [18]

The United States as a whole was subject to a unicameral Congress during the years 1781–1788, when the Articles of Confederation were in effect. The Confederate States of America, pursuant to its Provisional Constitution, in effect from February 8, 1861, to February 22, 1862, was governed by a unicameral Congress. [19]

See also

References

  1. Lanham, Url (2018). The insects. Gene-Tech Books. ISBN   978-81-89729-42-4. OCLC   1003201754.
  2. "Structure of parliaments". IPU PARLINE database. 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  3. Wirls, Daniel (2004). The invention of the United States Senate. Stephen Wirls. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN   0-8018-7438-6. OCLC   51878651.
  4. Litt, David (2020). Democracy in One Book Or Less: How It Works, Why It Doesn't, and Why Fixing It Is Easier Than You Think (First ed.). New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN   978-0-06-287936-3. OCLC   1120147424.
  5. Reuter, Konrad (2003). "Zweite Kammer?". Bundesrat und Bundesstaat: Der Bundesrat der Bundesrepublik Deutschland(PDF) (in German) (12th ed.). Berlin: Direktor des Bundesrates. p. 50. ISBN 3-923706-22-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2007-01-04. Im Ausland wird ein solches parlamentarisches System im Allgemeinen als Zweikammer- System bezeichnet. Für Bundestag und Bundesrat ist dagegen eine gemeinsame Bezeichnung nicht allgemein üblich, und es ist sogar umstritten, ob der Bundesrat eine Zweite Kammer ist. (English: Abroad, such a parliamentary system is in general called a bicameral one. For Bundestag and Bundesrat such a common designation is not usual and it is even contentious whether the Bundesrat is a second chamber at all.)
  6. Classifications of Germany as a country with a bicameral legislature can be controversial. [5]
  7. "Proposals and Recommendations". Consultative Commission. Archived from the original on Sep 26, 2007. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  8. "The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines". gov.ph. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  9. Abueva, Jose V. (Oct 19, 2005). "Why change our Presidential Government to a Parliamentary Government". Consultative Commission. Archived from the original on 2006-08-18. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  10. 1 2 Myers, Adam S. (2018). "The Failed Diffusion of the Unicameral State Legislature, 1934–1944". Studies in American Political Development. 32 (2): 217–235. doi:10.1017/S0898588X18000135. ISSN   0898-588X. S2CID   150363451.
  11. "Missouri Unicameral Legislature, Issue 2 (1944)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  12. "1944 Referendum General Election Results - Missouri".
  13. "North Dakota Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature, Alternate Proposition 1 (1972)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  14. "North Dakota Constitution, Main Proposition (1972)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  15. "One People – One House". News.minnesota.publicradio.org. 1999-04-29. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  16. "Referéndum sobre el Sistema Cameral". Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico. 2005-07-10.
  17. "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Establish a Unicameral Legislature" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  18. One for All, Rick Lazio, New York Times, July 14, 2009
  19. "Avalon Project - Confederate States of America - Constitution for the Provisional Government". avalon.law.yale.edu.