Parliament is a government body that is authorized to enact laws and oversee its administration. Two types of legislative bodies are widespread in the world: unicameral and bicameral. Each of them has its own characteristics. A unicameral parliament is such a system of government in which a single central unit has the full right to make laws and decisions regarding government policy.
Definition
A unicameral parliament is a form of government consisting of only one legislative chamber or assembly. Among its characteristics, one can single out concentrated powers, a unitary system of government, and quick adoption of political decisions.
Its functions include the adoption of laws, the budget, control over the administration, discussion of issues related to development plans, international relations, national plans, etc.
Members of a unicameral parliament are directly elected by the people. In addition, due to its simplicity, the likelihood of a deadlock is much less compared to a bicameral legislature.
Where exists
Unicameral parliament operates in countries such as Iran, Norway, Sweden, Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Monaco, Serbia, Turkey, etc. Unicameral systems have become more popular in the twentieth century, and some states, including Greece, New Zealand and Peru , switched from a bicameral to a unicameral system.
Small countries with long-established democracies, as a rule, have unicameral systems, while larger ones can have either one or bicameral legislature.
Features
A unicameral legislature or mechanism is a system in which all powers are accumulated in only one house or assembly.
As a rule, a unicameral parliament is formed in a unitary state, while a bicameral parliament is characteristic of the federal system of government.
Decision-making on issues of politics and lawmaking in this case is more efficient than the second type of legislative body. This is due to the presence of only one chamber, so the adoption of the law requires less time.
The formation of a unicameral parliament almost always occurs during general and direct elections. In some countries (for example, Brunei, Bhutan), most of the mandates are given to representatives of the nobility or to persons holding senior positions. In some cases, as, for example, in Egypt, persons who have special services to the state are appointed as the head of state.
Implementation of activities
Parliament votes on bills proposed by its members (parliamentarians) or the government. All bills, except for the budget and constitutional amendments, are approved by a simple majority of the parliament. He also claims the Prime Minister.
The constitution of the state determines the number of members of parliament and the term of office, which is often four or five years.
In most cases, parliamentarians tend to have great powers: in some countries, they elect a president and are forming a government that is responsible to parliament. Moreover, all deputies have equal status.
This legislative body has its own internal structure. The management of meetings is carried out by the chairman (in the Anglo-Saxon countries he is called the speaker) or a collegial body. The chairman has one or more alternates; collegial bodies elect a chairperson, whose functions include conducting meetings.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of a unicameral system is that laws can be adopted more efficiently. However, in this case, a situation may arise in which a law is adopted too easily, even if most of the country's citizens do not support it. Groups with special interests can more easily influence a unicameral legislature than bicameral, and group thinking is more likely. Since unicameral systems require fewer legislators, they may need less money to work. They can also introduce fewer bills and have shorter legislative sessions.
Among the shortcomings of this system is the fact that the administrative-territorial units in a unicameral parliament are not always fully represented. In addition, in this case, he may receive the powers of other state bodies. Or the power will be usurped by a political party represented in a unicameral parliament in the majority. It should also be noted the absence of a counterweight in the form of a second chamber and the possible likelihood of radicalization of the parliament.