Cameralism

Question 1

Why have two chambers?

Answer 1

• allow for representation of different interests within the country
• in federal states: to provide a forum for the individual states/provinces counterbalance to population-based representation in the main chamber
• to give minorities a voice in the legislature

Question 2

How many of Europe’s parliaments are unicameral?

Answer 2

64.58% IPU 2013

It is the contemporary norm

Question 3

Why have a unicameral legislature?`

Answer 3

Direct representatives of the popular will

More democratic, accountable, economical and efficient

Question 4

Where is the power of scrutiny in Portugal’s unicameral Assemblia da Republica?

Answer 4

(Leston-Bandeira,2004) - the committee system.

Before a bill is read in parliament it is considered by the appropriate standing committee

Question 5

How many of Europe’s parliaments are bicameral?

Answer 5

35.42% IPU 2013

Question 6

The mode of selection of upper chambers in Europe (IPU, 2013)

Answer 6

32. 33% directly elected
33. 88% appointed
34. 86% indirectly elected
35. 94% other (i.e. combo)

Question 7

How is Ireland’s Senate composed?`

Answer 7

• 11 appointed by PM
• 43 elected from vocational panels
• 6 from two universities

Question 8

What does Lijphart (2012) say?

Answer 8

• There is the pure majoritarian model where concentration of the legislative power is vested in one single chamber
• The pure consensus model is where there is a bicameral legislature in which power is divided equally.
• Bicameral legislatures can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Question 9

What bill, from Italy, shows how legislative scrutiny is high in strong, symmetrical bicameral legislatures?

Answer 9

Italian bill on rape, introduced in 1977 not passed until 1995