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{{About|the legislative institution}}
{{Redirect|Parliaments|the American-style doo-wop quintet|The Parliaments}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2011}}{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2012}}
[[File:House of Commons.jpg|thumb|The chamber of the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British Parliament]] in the [[City of Westminster]], [[London]].]]
[[File:Bundesratswahl 2009 - Applaus.jpg|thumb|The [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]] of [[Switzerland]].]]
[[File:Australian House of Representatives - Parliament of Australia.jpg|thumb|The [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] Chamber of the [[Parliament of Australia]] in [[Canberra]].]]

A '''parliament''' is a [[legislature]]. More generally, "parliament" may simply refer to a [[Democracy|democratic]] government's legislature. The term is derived from the French {{lang|fr|''[[parlement]]''}}, the action of ''parler'' ("to speak"): a ''parlement'' is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which such a discussion took place.{{when|date=November 2011}} It acquired its modern meaning as it came to be used for the body of people (in an institutional sense) who would meet to discuss matters of state.<ref name="Dictionary.com">{{cite web | title = Parliament | publisher = Dictionary.com | url = http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/parliament | accessdate =6 March 2012 }}</ref>

Generally, a parliament has three functions: representation, legislation and parliamentary control (i.e., hearings, inquiries).

==Origins==
The [[Sicilian Parliament]] is considered one of the oldest in the world<ref>[http://sites.google.com/site/ilparlamento02/storia-del-parlamento Storia del Parlamento - Il Parlamento]</ref><ref>Enzo Gancitano, ''Mazara dopo i Musulmani fino alle Signorie - Dal Vescovado all'Inquisizione'', Angelo Mazzotta Editore, 2001, p. 30.</ref> (together with that [[Althing|Icelandic]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/society/text/laws.htm|title=Hurstwic: Viking-age Laws and Legal Procedures}}</ref> and [[Løgting|Faroese]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.logting.fo/files/File/2008/faldari_EN_web.pdf|title=The Faroese Parliament}}</ref> which, however, had no decision-making powers, a fact which makes the Sicilian Parliament the first in the modern sense). In 1097 came the first conference in [[Mazara del Vallo]] convened by [[Roger I of Sicily|Roger I]] the Great Count of a parliament initially travelling. The Sicilian Parliament was made up of three branches: from feudalism, from the Ecclesiastical and from the State Property. The first [[Normandy|Norman]] parliament was not a [[Deliberative democracy|deliberative]], and had only an advisory function and confirmation of the sovereign, especially in taxation, economics and wars. Members were chosen from the more powerful nobles. The use of the ''term'' 'parliament' to designate such a body first occurred amongst the [[Anglo-Norman England|French-speaking nobility in England]] in 1236. The word “parliament” comes from the French “parler”, which means “to talk” or “to discuss”.

==Parliament government==
[[File:Unibicameral Map.svg|350px|thumb|right|{{legend|#37abc8|Nations with bicameral legislatures.}}{{legend|#ff9955|Nations with unicameral legislatures.}}{{legend|#000000|No legislature.}}]]
Legislatures called parliaments operate under a [[parliamentary system]] of government in which the [[executive branch|executive]] is constitutionally answerable to the parliament. Parliaments usually consist of ''[[Chambers of parliament|chambers]]'' or ''houses'', and are usually either [[bicameralism|bicameral]] or [[unicameralism|unicameral]] although more complex models exist, or have existed (''see [[Tricameralism]]).

A nation's [[prime minister]] (PM) is almost always the leader of the majority party in the lower house of parliament, but only holds his or her office as long as the "confidence of the house" is maintained. If members of the lower house lose faith in the leader for whatever reason, they can call a [[vote of no confidence]] and force the PM to resign.

This can be particularly dangerous to a government when the distribution of seats among different parties is relatively even, in which case a new election is often called shortly thereafter. However, in case of general discontent with the head of government, his replacement can be made very smoothly without all the complications that it represents in the case of a presidential system.

The parliamentary system can be contrasted with a [[presidential system]], on the model of the United States' [[United States Congress|congressional system]], which operate under a stricter [[separation of powers]] whereby the executive does not form part of, nor is appointed by, the parliamentary or legislative body. In such a system, congresses do not select or dismiss [[head of government|heads of governments]], and governments cannot request an early dissolution as may be the case for parliaments. Some states have a [[semi-presidential system]] which falls between parliamentary and congressional systems combines a powerful head of state (president) with a head of government (PM) responsible to parliament.

==Proto-parliamentarian institutions==
:''See [[History of Parliamentarism]]''

Since ancient times, when societies were tribal, there were councils or a headman whose decisions were assessed by village elders. This is called [[tribalism]].<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/467746/political-system Political System] Encyclopædia Britannica Online</ref> Some scholars suggest that in ancient [[Mesopotamia]] there was a primitive democratic government where the kings were assessed by council.<ref>Jacobsen, T. (July 1943). "Primitive Democracy in Ancient Mesopotamia". Journal of Near Eastern Studies 2 (3): 159–172.</ref> The same has been said about ancient India, where some form of deliberative assemblies existed, and therefore there was some form of [[democracy]].<ref>Robinson, E. W. (1997)[http://books.google.com/books?id=T1kfcobFRSMC The First Democracies: Early Popular Government Outside Athens] Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 3-515-06951-8.</ref> However, these claims are not accepted by most scholars, who see these forms of government as [[oligarchies]].<ref>Bailkey, N. (July 1967). "Early Mesopotamian Constitutional Development". American History Review 72 (4): 1211–1236. http://www.jstor.org/pss/1847791.</ref><ref>Larsen, J.A.O. (Jan. 1973). "Demokratia". Classical Philology 68 (1): 45–46.</ref><ref>de Sainte, C.G.E.M. (2006). The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-1442-3. http://books.google.com/books?id=LkYIAAAAIAAJ.</ref><ref>Bongard-Levin, G.M. (1986). A complex study of Ancient India. South Asia Books. ISBN 81-202-0141-8.</ref><ref>Sharma, J.P. (1968). Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.. http://books.google.com/books?id=sQKNAAAAMAAJ.</ref>

[[Ancient Athens]] was the cradle of [[democracy]].<ref>[http://books.google.es/books?id=ccoOfhyjFNEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=democracy+a+history&cd=1#v=onepage&q=athens&f=false John Dunn:''Democracy:a History'',p.24]</ref> The Athenian assembly (ἐκκλησία ekklesia) was the most important institution, and every [[citizen]] could take part in the discussions. However, [[Athenian democracy]] was not representative, but rather direct, and therefore the ekklesia was different from the parliamentary system.

The [[Roman republic]] had [[Legislative Assemblies of the Roman Republic|legislative assemblies]], who had the final say regarding the election of magistrates, the enactment of new [[statutes]], the carrying out of capital punishment, the declaration of war and peace, and the creation (or dissolution) of alliances.<ref>Abbott, Frank Frost (1901). A History and Description of Roman Political Institutions. Elibron Classics. ISBN 0-543-92749-0.</ref> The [[Roman Senate]] controlled money, administration, and the details of foreign policy.<ref>Byrd, Robert (1995). The Senate of the Roman Republic. US Government Printing Office Senate Document 103–23.</ref>

Some Muslim scholars argue that the Islamic [[shura]] (a method of taking decisions in Islamic societies) is analogous to the parliament.<ref>[http://www.alhewar.com/SadekShura.htm "The Shura principle in Islam" by Sadek Jawad Sulaiman]</ref> However, others highlight what they consider fundamental differences between the shura system and the parliamentary system.<ref>[http://www.hizb-ut-tahrir.org/PDF/EN/en_books_pdf/system_of_islam.pdf ''The System of Islam, (Nidham ul Islam)'' by Taqiuddin an-Nabhani], Al-Khilafa Publications, 1423 AH – 2002 CE, p.61</ref><ref>[http://www.hizb-ut-tahrir.org/PDF/EN/en_books_pdf/system_of_islam.pdf ''The System of Islam'', by Taqiuddin an-Nabhani], p.39</ref><ref>[http://www.ijtihad.org/shura.htm ''Shura and Democracy'',by M. A. Muqtedar Khan]</ref>

In [[Anglo-Saxon]] England, the [[Witenagamot]] was an important political institution. The name derives from the [[Old English]] ƿitena ȝemōt, or witena gemōt, for "meeting of wise men". The first recorded act of a witenagemot was the law code issued by King Æthelberht of Kent ca. 600, the earliest document which survives in sustained Old English prose; however, the witan was certainly in existence long before this time.<ref>Liebermann, Felix, The National Assembly in the Anglo-Saxon Period (Halle, 1913; repr. New York, 1961).</ref> The Witan, along with the folkmoots(local assemblies), is an important ancestor of the modern English parliament.<ref>[http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/originsofparliament/birthofparliament/overview/origins/ Birth of the english Parliament]</ref>

===England===
{{main|Parliament of England}}
England has long had a tradition of a body of men who would assist and advise the King on important matters. Under the [[Anglo-Saxon]] Kings, there was an advisory council, the [[Witenagemot]] ("meeting of wise men"). As part of the [[Norman Conquest of England]], the new King, [[William I of England|William I]], did away with the Witenagemot, replacing it with a [[Curia Regis]] ("King's Council"). Membership of the Curia was largely restricted to the tenants in chief, the few nobles who "rented" great estates directly from the King, along with certain senior [[ecclesiastic]]s.

Most historians date the emergence of a parliament with some degree of power to which the throne had to defer no later than the rule of [[Edward I of England|Edward I]]. (Kaeuper, Richard W., War Justice and Public Order: England and France in the Later Middle Ages, Oxford U. Press, 1988.) Like previous kings, Edward called leading nobles and church leaders to discuss government matters, especially [[finance]]. A meeting in 1295 became known as the [[Model Parliament]] because it set the pattern for later [[Parliaments]]. The significant difference between the Model Parliament and the earlier Curia Regis was the addition of the Commons, that is, elected representatives of rural landowners and of townsmen. In 1307, [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] agreed not to collect certain [[taxes]] without consent of the realm. He also enlarged the court system.

[[William I of England|William of Normandy]] brought to [[England]] the [[feudal system]] of his native [[Normandy]], and sought the advice of the [[curia regis]], before making laws. This body is the origin from which the Parliament, the higher courts of law, the [[Privy Council]] and Cabinet have sprung. Of these, the legislature is formally the High Court of Parliament; judges sit in the [[Senior Courts of England and Wales|Supreme Court of Judicature]]; and only the executive government is no longer conducted in a royal court.

The tenants-in-chief often struggled with their spiritual counterparts and with the King for power. In 1215, they secured from [[John of England|John]] the [[Magna Carta]], which established that the King may not levy or collect any taxes (except the feudal taxes to which they were hitherto accustomed), save with the consent of a council. It was also established that the most important tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics be summoned to the council by personal writs from the Sovereign, and that all others be summoned to the council by general writs from the [[sheriff]]s of their counties. Modern government has its origins in the Curia Regis; parliament descends from the Great Council later known as the ''parliamentum'' established by [[Magna Carta]].

The [[Parliament of England|English Parliament]]s during the reign of [[Henry III of England|King Henry III]] in the 13th century incorporated elected representation from shires and towns, and is considered the forerunner of the modern parliament.<ref>
{{cite web | url = http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/originsofparliament/birthofparliament/overview/firstparliaments/ | title = Birth of the English Parliament: The first Parliaments | publisher = Parliament.uk | accessdate =13 May 2010 }}
</ref>
In 1265, [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester]], who was in rebellion against [[Henry III of England|Henry III]], summoned a parliament of his supporters without royal authorization. The [[archbishop]]s, [[bishop]]s, [[abbot]]s, [[earl]]s and [[baron]]s were summoned, as were two [[knight]]s from each shire and two [[burgess (title)|burgess]]es from each [[borough]]. Knights had been summoned to previous councils, but the representation of the boroughs was unprecedented. De Montfort's scheme of representation and election was formally adopted by [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] in the so-called "[[Model Parliament]]" of 1295. At first, each [[Estates of the realm|estate]] debated independently; by the reign of [[Edward III of England|Edward III]], however, Parliament had been separated into two Houses and was recognisably assuming its modern form.

====Parliament under Henry VIII and Edward VI====
The purpose and structure of parliament in Tudor England underwent a significant transformation under the reign of [[Henry VIII]]. Originally its methods were primarily medieval and the monarch still had inarguable dominion over the decisions. According to Elton, it was [[Thomas Cromwell|Cromwell]] who then initiated the beginnings of change within parliament.

The [[Acts of Supremacy|Reformation Acts]] gave parliament unlimited power over the country, and authority over every matter, be it social, economic, political or even religious {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}; it legalised the Reformation, officially and indisputably. The King had to rule through the council, not over it, and there had to be mutual agreement when creating or passing laws, changing religions or adjusting taxes. The monarch no longer had sole control over the country. For instance, during the later years of [[Mary I of England|Mary]], the parliament originally rejected Mary's intent to revive Catholicism in the realm, and even later, denied [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth]] her request for marriage {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}. If parliament had had this power before Cromwell, during [[Thomas Wolsey|Wolsey's]] reign as Secretary, the reformation might never have happened as the king would have had to gain the consent of all parliament members before so drastically changing the country's religious laws {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}.

The effectiveness of parliament considerably increased after Cromwell's adjustments. It gave the country an unprecedented stability when dealing with dynastic complications, such as a minor king or the lack of a suitable heir. When an acceptable monarch was not available, the changes in government meant that the country could still run efficiently through the parliament, without having to succumb to civil war. Management and organisation was also improved and [[parliamentary procedure]] was documented, statutes printed. The fact that the monarch was suddenly dependent on another political body meant that decisions were more thoroughly considered and the rash whims of Henry VIII were trivialised and reduced. He could not establish supremacy by proclamation; he needed the parliament to enforce statute, to add felonies and treasons. One of the main liberties of parliament was its freedom of speech; Henry allowed anything to be spoken openly within parliament and the speakers were not allowed to be arrested, a fact which they exploited incessantly. Despite this fact however, parliament held very little objection to the desires of the monarch, and under Henry and [[Edward I of England|Edward's]] reign it complied willingly to the majority of the Kings' decisions.

As Williams described it, "King and parliament were not separate entities, but a single body, of which the monarch was the senior partner and the Lords and the Commons the lesser, but still essential, members."

The Parliament of England met until the [[Acts of Union 1707|Acts of Union]] merged the [[Parliament of Scotland]] and the Parliament of England, creating the new [[Parliament of Great Britain]] in 1707.

===France===
{{main|French States-General}}

Originally, there was only the Parliament of Paris, born out of the Curia Regis in 1307, and located inside the medieval royal palace, now the [[Paris Hall of Justice]]. The jurisdiction of the ''Parliament'' of Paris covered the entire kingdom. In the thirteenth century, judicial functions were added. In 1443, following the turmoil of the [[Hundred Years' War]], King [[Charles VII of France]] granted [[Languedoc]] its own ''parliament'' by establishing the ''Parliament'' of [[Toulouse]], the first ''parliament'' outside of Paris, whose jurisdiction extended over the most part of southern France. From 1443 until the [[French Revolution]] several other ''parliaments'' were created in some provinces of France ([[Grenoble]], [[Bordeaux]]).

All the ''parliaments'' could issue regulatory decrees for the application of royal edicts or of customary practices; they could also refuse to register laws that they judged contrary to fundamental law or simply as being untimely. Parliamentary power in France was suppressed more so than in England as a result of [[Absolute monarchy|absolutism]], and parliaments were eventually overshadowed by the larger [[French States-General|Estates General]], up until the [[French Revolution]], when the [[National Assembly of France|National Assembly]] became the lower house of France's bicameral legislature.

===Scotland===
{{main|Parliament of Scotland|Scottish Parliament}}
[[File:Scottish Parliament, Main Debating Chamber - geograph.org.uk - 1650829.jpg|thumb|The debating chamber of the reconvened [[Scottish Parliament]] from the public gallery.]]
From the 10th century the [[Kingdom of Alba]] was ruled by chiefs (''[[Taoiseach|toisechs]]'') and subkings (''[[mormaers]]'') under the [[suzerainty]], real or nominal, of a [[High King]]. Popular assemblies, as in Ireland, were involved in law-making, and sometimes in king-making, although the introduction of [[tanistry]]—naming a successor in the lifetime of a king—made the second less than common. These early assemblies cannot be considered "parliaments" in the later sense of the word, and were entirely separate from the later, Norman-influenced, institution.

The [[Parliament of Scotland]] evolved during the [[Middle Ages]] from the King's Council of Bishops and Earls. The unicameral parliament is first found on record, referred to as a ''[[Parliament of Scotland|colloquium]]'', in 1235 at [[Kirkliston]] (a village now in [[Edinburgh]]).

By the early fourteenth century the attendance of knights and [[freehold (law)|freeholder]]s had become important, and from 1326 [[burgh]] commissioners attended. Consisting of the Three Estates; of [[clerics]], lay [[tenant-in-chief|tenants-in-chief]] and burgh commissioners sitting in a single chamber, the Scottish parliament acquired significant powers over particular issues. Most obviously it was needed for consent for [[taxation]] (although taxation was only raised irregularly in Scotland in the [[medieval]] period), but it also had a strong influence over [[justice]], [[foreign policy]], war, and all manner of other legislation, whether political, ecclesiastical, social or economic. Parliamentary business was also carried out by "sister" institutions, before c. 1500 by [[General Council (Scotland)|General Council]] and thereafter by the [[Convention of Estates]]. These could carry out much business also dealt with by Parliament – taxation, legislation and policy-making – but lacked the ultimate authority of a full parliament.

The parliament, which is also referred to as the Estates of Scotland, the Three Estates, the Scots Parliament or the auld Scots Parliament ([[English language|Eng]]: ''old''), met until the [[Acts of Union 1707|Acts of Union]] merged the Parliament of Scotland and the [[Parliament of England]], creating the new [[Parliament of Great Britain]] in 1707.

Following the [[Scottish devolution referendum, 1997]], and the passing of the [[Scotland Act 1998]] by the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]], the [[Scottish Parliament]] was reconvened on 1 July 1999, although with much more limited powers than its 18th century predecessor. The parliament has sat since 2004 at its newly constructed [[Scottish Parliament Building]] in Edinburgh, situated at the foot of the [[Royal Mile]], next to the royal palace of [[Holyroodhouse]].

===Nordic and Germanic development===
[[File:Reykjavik althing.jpg|thumb|right|Iceland's parliament House, at Austurvöllur in [[Reykjavík]], built in 1880–1881. Home of one of the oldest still-acting parliaments in the world.]]

A ''[[thing (assembly)|thing]]'' or ''ting'' ([[Old Norse]] and {{lang-is|þing}}; other modern [[Scandinavian languages|Scandinavian]]: ''ting'', ''ding'' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]) was the governing assembly in [[Germanic tribes|Germanic]] societies, made up of the free men of the community and presided by [[lawspeaker]]s. Today the term lives on in the official names of national legislatures, political and judicial institutions in the North-Germanic countries. In the [[Yorkshire]] and former [[Danelaw]] areas of England, which were subject to much Norse invasion and settlement, the [[wapentake]] was another name for the same institution.

The thing was the assembly of the free men of a country, province or a [[hundred (division)|hundred]] ''(hundare/härad/herred)''. There were consequently, hierarchies of things, so that the local things were represented at the thing for a larger area, for a province or land. At the thing, disputes were solved and political decisions were made. The place for the thing was often also the place for public religious rites and for commerce.

The thing met at regular intervals, legislated, elected [[Germanic chieftains|chieftains]] and [[Germanic king|kings]], and judged according to the law, which was memorised and recited by the "[[law speaker]]" (the judge).

Later national diets with chambers for different estates developed, e.g. in Sweden and in Finland (which was part of Sweden until 1809), each with a [[Swedish House of Nobility|House of Knights]] for the nobility. In both these countries, the national parliaments are now called [[Riksdag of the Estates|riksdag]] (in Finland also ''eduskunta''), a word used since the Middle Ages and equivalent of the German word [[Reichstag (disambiguation)|Reichstag]]{{disambiguation needed|date=January 2013}}.

===Poland===
[[File:20070124 sejm sala plenarna.jpg|thumb|Chamber of the Sejm showing the [[hemicycle]] seating pattern.]]
According to the ''[[Chronicle]]s'' of [[Gallus Anonymus]], the first legendary Polish ruler, [[Siemowit]], who began the [[Piast Dynasty]], was chosen by a ''[[Veche|wiec]]''. The ''veche'' ({{lang-ru|вече}}, {{lang-pl|wiec}}) was a popular assembly in medieval [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]] countries, and in late medieval period, a parliament. The idea of the ''wiec'' led in 1182 to the development of the Polish parliament, the ''[[Sejm]]''.

The term "sejm" comes from an old Polish expression denoting a meeting of the populace. The power of early sejms grew between 1146–1295, when the power of individual rulers waned and various councils and wiece grew stronger. The history of the national Sejm dates back to 1182. Since the 14th century irregular sejms (described in various [[Latin]] sources as ''contentio generalis, conventio magna, conventio solemna, parlamentum, parlamentum generale, dieta'' or Polish ''sejm walny'') have been called by Polish kings. From 1374, the king had to receive sejm permission to raise [[tax]]es. The General Sejm (Polish ''Sejm Generalny'' or ''Sejm Walny''), first convoked by the king [[John I Olbracht]] in 1493 near [[Piotrków Trybunalski|Piotrków]], evolved from earlier regional and provincial meetings (''[[sejmik]]s''). It followed most closely the ''sejmik generally'', which arose from the 1454 [[Nieszawa Statutes]], granted to the [[szlachta]] (nobles) by King [[Casimir IV the Jagiellonian]]. From 1493 forward, indirect elections were repeated every two years. With the development of the unique Polish [[Golden Liberty]] the Sejm's powers increased.

The [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|Commonwealth's]] general parliament consisted of three estates: the King of Poland (who also acted as the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Russia/Ruthenia, Prussia, Mazovia, etc.), the Senat (consisting of Ministers, Palatines, Castellans and Bishops) and the Chamber of Envoys—circa 170 nobles ([[szlachta]]) acting on behalf of their Lands and sent by Land Parliaments. Also representatives of selected cities but without any voting powers. Since 1573 at a royal election all peers of the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|Commonwealth]] could participate in the Parliament and become the King's electors.

===Ukraine===
[[Rada|Cossack Rada]] was the legislative body of a [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|military republic of cossacks]] that grew rapidly in the 15th century from serfs fleeing the more controlled parts of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. The republic did not regard social origin/nobility and accepted all people who declared to be [[Orthodox Christians]].

===Russia===
The zemsky sobor (Russian: зе́мский собо́р) was the first Russian parliament of the feudal Estates type, in the 16th and 17th centuries. The term roughly means assembly of the land.
It could be summoned either by tsar, or patriarch, or the Boyar Duma. Three categories of population, comparable to the Estates-General of France but with the numbering of the first two Estates reversed, participated in the assembly:

Nobility and high bureaucracy, including the Boyar Duma

The Holy Sobor of high Orthodox clergy

Representatives of merchants and townspeople (third estate)

The name of the parliament of nowadays Russian Federation is the [[Federal Assembly of Russia]]. The term for its lower house, [[Duma]] (which is better known than the Federal Assembly itself, and is often mistaken for the entirety of the parliament) comes from the Russian word ''думать'' (''dumat''), "to think". The '''Boyar Duma''' was an advisory council to the [[grand prince]]s and [[tsars]] of [[Muscovy]]. The Duma was discontinued by [[Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great]], who transferred its functions to the [[Governing Senate]] in 1711.

====Novgorod and Pskov====
The ''veche'' was the highest legislature and judicial authority in the republic of [[Novgorod Republic|Novgorod]] until 1478. In its sister state, [[Pskov Republic|Pskov]], a separate veche operated until 1510.

Since the Novgorod revolution of 1137 ousted the ruling [[grand prince]], the veche became the supreme state authority. After the reforms of 1410, the veche was restructured on a model similar to that of [[Venice]], becoming the [[Commons]] chamber of the parliament. Аn upper [[Senate]]-like Council of Lords was also created, with title membership for all former city magistrates. Some sources indicate that veche membership may have became full-time, and parliament deputies were now called ''vechniks''. It is recounted that the Novgorod assembly could be summoned by anyone who rung the veche [[bell (instrument)|bell]], although it is more likely that the common procedure was more complex. This bell was a symbol of republican sovereignty and independence. The whole population of the city—boyars, merchants, and common citizens—then gathered at [[Yaroslav's Court]]. Separate assemblies could be held in the districts of Novgorod. In Pskov the veche assembled in the court of the Trinity cathedral.

===Spain===
[[File:Daoiz o Velarde.jpg|thumb|right|[[Congreso de los Diputados]], lower house of the Spanish Parliament]]

{{main|Cortes Generales}}

Although there are documented councils held in 873, 1020, 1050 and 1063, there was no representation of commoners. What is considered to be the first Spanish parliament (with the presence of commoners), [[Cortes Generales|the Cortes]], was held in the [[Kingdom of León]] in 1188.<ref>Michael Burger: The Shaping of Western Civilization: From Antiquity To the Enlightenment. Page: 190</ref><ref>Susana Galera: Judicial Review: A Comparative Analysis Inside the European Legal System. Page: 21</ref><ref>Gaines Post: Studies in Medieval Legal Thought: Public Law And the State, 1100-1322 Page 62</ref> Prelates, nobles and commoners met separately in the three estates of the Cortes. In this meeting new laws were approved to protect commoners against the arbitrarities of nobles, prelates and the king. This important set of laws is known as the ''Carta Magna Leonesa''.

Following this event, new Cortes would appear in the other different territories that would make up Spain: [[Catalonia]] in 1218, the [[Kingdom of Castile]] in 1250, [[Kingdom of Aragon]] in 1274, [[Kingdom of Valencia]] in 1283 and [[Kingdom of Navarre]] in 1300.

After the union of the Kingdoms of Leon and Castile under the [[Crown of Castile]], their Cortes were united as well in 1258. The Castilian Cortes had representatives from Burgos, Toledo, León, Seville, Córdoba, Murcia, Jaén, Zamora, Segovia, Ávila, Salamanca, Cuenca, Toro, Valladolid, Soria, Madrid, Guadalajara and Granada (after 1492). The Cortes' assent was required to pass new taxes, and could also advise the king on other matters. The [[Revolt of the Comuneros|comunero rebels]] intended a stronger role for the Cortes, but were defeated by the forces of [[Habsburg Spain|Habsburg]] Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] in 1521. The Cortes maintained some power, however, though it became more of a consultative entity. However, by the time of [[Philip II of Spain|King Philip II]], Charles's son, the Castilian Cortes had come under functionally complete royal control, with its delegates dependent on the Crown for their income.<ref>
{{cite book |last=Haliczer |first=Stephen |authorlink=Stephen Haliczer |title=The Comuneros of Castile: The Forging of a Revolution, 1475–1521 |year=1981 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |location=Madison, Wisconsin |page=227 |isbn=0-299-08500-7 |ref=Hal81 }}</ref>

The Cortes of the [[Crown of Aragon]] kingdoms retained their power to control the king's spending with regard to the finances of those kingdoms. But after the [[War of the Spanish Succession]] and the arrival of another royal house – the [[House of Bourbon|Bourbons]] – in 1714 with [[Philip V of Spain|Philip V]], their Cortes were suppressed (as were those of [[Aragon]] and [[Valencia, Spain|Valencia]] in 1707, [[Catalonia]] and [[Balearic islands]] in 1714).

===The Roman Catholic Church===
{{main|Conciliarism}}

"[[Conciliarism]]" or the "[[conciliar movement]]", was a reform movement in the 14th and 15th century [[Roman Catholic Church]] which held that final authority in spiritual matters resided with the Roman Church as corporation of Christians, embodied by a [[Ecumenical council|general church council]], not with the [[pope]]. In effect, the movement sought – ultimately, in vain – to create an All-Catholic Parliament. Its struggle with the Papacy had many points in common with the struggle of parliaments in specific countries against the authority of Kings and other secular rulers.

==Parliaments of the United Kingdom==
{{main|Parliament of the United Kingdom}}
[[File:houses.of.parliament.overall.arp.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Palace of Westminster|British Houses of Parliament]], London]]

The British Parliament is often referred to as the ''Mother of Parliaments'' (in fact a misquotation of [[John Bright]], who remarked in 1865 that "England is the Mother of Parliaments") because the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British Parliament]] has been the model for most other parliamentary systems, and its [[Act of Parliament|Act]]s have created many other parliaments. Many nations with parliaments have to some degree emulated the British "three-tier" model. Most countries in Europe and the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] have similarly organised parliaments with a largely ceremonial [[head of state]] who formally opens and closes parliament, a large elected lower house and a smaller, upper house.

The [[Parliament of Great Britain]] was formed in 1707 by the [[Acts of Union 1707|Acts of Union]] that replaced the former parliaments of England and [[Parliament of Scotland|Scotland]]. A [[Acts of Union 1800|further union in 1801]] united the Parliament of Great Britain and the [[Parliament of Ireland]] into a [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]].

In the United Kingdom, Parliament consists of the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]], the [[House of Lords]], and the [[Monarch]]. The House of Commons is composed of 650 members who are directly elected by British citizens to represent single-member constituencies. The leader of a Party that wins more than half the seats or less than half but can count on support of smaller parties to achieve enough support to pass law is invited by the Queen to form a government. The House of Lords is a body of long-serving, unelected members: 92 of whom inherit their titles (and of whom 90 are elected internally by members of the House to lifetime seats), 26 bishops while they remain in office, and 588 of whom have been appointed to lifetime seats.

Legislation can originate from either the Lords or the Commons. It is voted on in several distinct stages, called [[reading (legislature)|readings]], in each house. First reading is merely a formality. Second reading is where the bill as a whole is considered. Third reading is detailed consideration of clauses of the bill.

In addition to the three readings a bill also goes through a committee stage where it is considered in great detail. Once the bill has been passed by one house it goes to the other and essentially repeats the process. If after the two sets of readings there are disagreements between the versions that the two houses passed it is returned to the first house for consideration of the amendments made by the second. If it passes through the amendment stage [[Royal Assent]] is granted and the bill becomes law as an [[Act of Parliament]].

The House of Lords is the less powerful of the two houses as a result of the [[Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949]]. These Acts removed the veto power of the Lords over a great deal of legislation. If a bill is certified by the [[Speaker of the British House of Commons|Speaker of the House of Commons]] as a [[money bill]] (i.e. acts raising taxes and similar) then the Lords can only block it for a month. If an ordinary bill originates in the Commons the Lords can only block it for a maximum of one [[session of Parliament]]. The exceptions to this rule are things like bills to prolong the life of a Parliament beyond five years.

In addition to functioning as the second chamber of Parliament, the House of Lords was also the final court of [[appeal]] for much of the law of the United Kingdom—a combination of judicial and legislative function that recalls its origin in the Curia Regis. This changed in October 2009 when the [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom]] opened and acquired the former jurisdiction of the House of Lords.

Since 1998, there has been a [[Scottish Parliament]] in [[Edinburgh]], which is a national, unicameral [[legislature]] for [[Scotland]]. However, the Scottish Parliament does not have complete power over Scottish Politics, as it only holds the powers which were devolved to it by Westminster in 1997. It cannot legislate on defence issues, currency, or national taxation (e.g. VAT, or Income Tax). Additionally, the Scottish Parliament can be dissolved at any given time by the British Parliament without the consent of the devolved government. This applies to all devolved governments within the United Kingdom, a limit on the sovereignty of the devolved governments.

==List of national parliaments==
{{See also|List of legislatures by country}}
[[File:Parliament-Ottawa.jpg|thumb|right|The centre block of the [[Parliament of Canada]] Building in [[Ottawa]].]]
[[File:Parlament a budai oldalrol.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Hungarian Parliament Building]] in [[Budapest]]]]
[[File:Austrian Parliament Building by night.jpg|thumb|[[Austrian Parliament Building]] in [[Vienna]]]]
[[File:Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban (Roehl).jpg|thumb|[[Parliament of Bangladesh]] in [[Dhaka]]]]
[[File:Diet of Japan Kokkai 2009.jpg|right|thumb|The [[National Diet Building]] in [[Tokyo]]]]
[[Image:Pakistani parliament house.jpg|thumb|right|Parliament House of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.]]
[[File:BeirutParliament.jpg|right|thumb|[[Lebanese Parliament|Assembly of Deputies]], The Parliament Building of Lebanon.]]

===Parliaments of the European Union===
* [[European Parliament]]
* [[Parliament of Austria]] (consisting of the [[National Council (Austria)|National Council]] and the [[Federal Council (Austria)|Federal Council]])
* [[Belgian Federal Parliament]] (consisting of the [[Chamber of Representatives of Belgium|Chamber of Representatives]] and the [[Senate of Belgium|Senate]])
* [[National Assembly of Bulgaria]]
* [[Croatian Parliament]]
* [[House of Representatives of Cyprus]]
* [[Parliament of the Czech Republic]]
* [[Folketing]] ([[Denmark]])
* [[Riigikogu]] ([[Estonia]])
* [[Parliament of Finland]]
* [[Parliament of France]] (consisting of the [[French National Assembly|National Assembly]] and the [[Senate of France|Senate]])
* [[Bundestag]] (Germany)
* [[Hellenic Parliament]] ([[Greece]])
* [[National Assembly of Hungary|Parliament of Hungary]] (''Országház or Parlament'')
* [[Oireachtas]] ([[Ireland]]) (consisting of the [[President of the Republic of Ireland|President of Ireland]], the [[Dáil Éireann|House of Representatives]] and the [[Seanad Éireann|Senate]])
* [[Parliament of Italy]] (consisting of the [[Chamber of Deputies (Italy)|Chamber of Deputies]] and the [[Senate of the Republic (Italy)|Senate]])
** [[Sicilian Regional Assembly]]
* [[Saeima]] ([[Latvia]])
* [[Seimas]] ([[Lithuania]])
* [[Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg]]
* [[House of Representatives of Malta]]
* [[States General of the Netherlands]] (consisting of the [[House of Representatives of the Netherlands|House of Representatives]] and the [[Senate of the Netherlands|Senate]])
* [[National Assembly of the Republic of Poland]] (consisting of the [[Sejm of the Republic of Poland|Sejm]] and the [[Senate of the Republic of Poland|Senate]])
* [[Assembleia da República]] ([[Portugal]])
* [[Parliament of Romania]] (consisting of the [[Chamber of Deputies of Romania|Chamber of Deputies]] and the [[Senate of Romania|Senate]])
* [[National Council of the Slovak Republic]]
* [[Parliament of Slovenia]] (consisting of the [[National Assembly (Slovenia)|National Assembly]] and the [[National Council (Slovenia)|National Council]])
* [[Cortes Generales]] (Spain) (consisting of the [[Congress of Deputies of Spain|Congress of Deputies]] and the [[Senate of Spain|Senate]])
* [[Riksdag]] ([[Sweden]])
* [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] (consisting of the [[House of Commons]] and the [[House of Lords]])
**[[Scottish Parliament]]
**[[National Assembly of Wales]]

===Others===
* [[Parliament of Albania]]
* [[Parliament of Australia]]
** The federal (Commonwealth) government of Australia has a [[bicameral]] '''parliament''', and each of [[States and territories of Australia|Australia's six states]] has a bicameral '''parliament''' except for [[Queensland]], which has a unicameral parliament.
* [[Jatiyo Sangshad]] ([[Bangladesh]])
* [[Parliament of Barbados]]
* [[Parliament of Canada]] (consisting of the [[House of Commons (Canada)|House of Commons]] and the [[Senate (Canada)|Senate]])
** The federal government of Canada has a bicameral '''parliament''', and each of [[Provinces of Canada|Canada's 10 provinces]] has a unicameral '''parliament'''.
* [[National People's Congress|National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China]]
** [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong]]
* [[Løgtingið]] ([[Faroe Islands]])
* [[Parliament (Fiji)|Parliament of Fiji]]
* [[Parliament of Ghana]]
* [[Althing|Parliament of Iceland]] (The Icelandic Althing and the Manx Tynwald share the claim of the oldest parliaments in the world.)<ref name="oldestclaim">{{citation |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Althing.aspx#2-1O110:Tynwald-full |title=Althing |publisher=[[Encyclopedia.com]] |accessdate=9 June 2011 }}. The webpage contains a partial transcription of the following book: {{citation |title=A Dictionary of British History |last=Canon |first=John |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] }}</ref>
* [[Parliament of India]] (consisting of the [[Lok Sabha]] and the [[Rajya Sabha]]) [[File:SansadBhavan dtv.jpg|thumb|left|Sansad Bhavan, seen from Rajpath]]
* [[Council of Representatives of Iraq]]
* [[National Diet of Japan]] (consisting of the [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]] and the [[House of Councillors (Japan)|House of Councillors]])
* [[Parliament of Lebanon]]
* [[Tynwald|Parliament of the Isle of Man – Tynwald]] (Manx: ''Tinvaal'') (The Icelandic Althing and the Manx Tynwald share the claim of the oldest parliaments in the world.)<ref name="oldestclaim"/>
* [[Knesset]] ([[Israel]])
* [[Parliament of Malaysia]]
* [[Parliament of Montenegro]]
* [[Parliament of Morocco]]
* [[Parliament of Nauru]]
* [[Parliament of Nepal]] (recently reorganised)
* [[Parliament of New Zealand]]
* [[Parliament of Norway]] (''Storting'')
* [[Majlis-e-Shoora]], [[Pakistan]]
* [[National Assembly of Serbia]]
* [[Parliament of Singapore]]
* [[Parliament of South Africa]]
* [[Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
* [[National Assembly of Thailand]]
* [[Parliament of the Central Tibetan Administration]]
* [[Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago]]
* [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey]]
* [[Parliament of Zimbabwe]]

==List of Subnational parliamentary governments==

===Canada===
''See: [[Legislative Assemblies of Canadian provinces and territories]]

===Australia===
''See: [[Parliaments of the Australian states and territories]]

===Belgium===
In the federal (bicameral) kingdom of Belgium, there is a curious asymmetrical constellation serving as directly elected legislatures for three "territorial" ''regions''—[[Flanders]] ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]), [[Brussels]] (bilingual, certain peculiarities of competence, also the only region not comprising any of the 10 provinces) and [[Wallonia]] (French)—and three cultural ''communities''—Flemish (Dutch, competent in Flanders and for the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Brussels), Francophone (French, for Wallonia and for Francophones in Brussels) and German (for speakers of that language in a few designated municipalities in the east of the Walloon Region, living alongside Francophones but under two different regimes)
* Vlaams Parliament ("[[Flemish Parliament]]"; originally styled Vlaamse Raad "Flemish Council") served both the Flemish Community (whose same it uses) and, in application of a Belgian constitutional option, of the region of Flanders (in all matters of regional competence, its decisions have no effect in Brussels)
* Parliament of the French Community
* [[Parliament of the German-speaking Community|parliament of the German Community]]
* [[Walloon Parliament|parliament of the Walloon region]]
* [[Brussels Parliament|parliament of the Brussels 'capital' region]];
: within the capital's regional assembly however, there also exist two so-called ''Community Commissions'' (fixed numbers, not an automatic repartition of the regional assembly), a [[Flemish Community Commission|Dutch-speaking one]] and a [[French Community Commission|Francophone one]], for various matters split up by linguistic community but under Brussels' regional competence, and even 'joint community commissions' consisting of both for certain institutions that could be split up but are not.

===Denmark===
* [[Parliament of Greenland]]
* [[Løgting]]

===Finland===
* [[Parliament of Åland]]

===Germany===
* [[Landtag#German Legislatures|State legislatures of Germany]]

===Netherlands===
* [[States-Provincial]]

===Norway===
:''see [[subnational parliamentary system in Norway]]''

===Spain===
:See: [[List of Spanish regional legislatures]]

===United Kingdom===
* [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Northern Ireland Assembly]]
* [[Scottish Parliament]]
* [[Welsh Assembly]]

==Other parliaments==

===Contemporary supranational parliaments===
{{Main|International parliament|Inter-parliamentary institution}}
:''List is not exhaustive''
* [[Pan-African Parliament]]
* [[Central American Parliament]]
* [[Latin American Parliament]]
* [[European Parliament]]

===Equivalent national legislatures===
* [[Majlis]], e.g. in Iran
* in Afghanistan: [[Wolesi Jirga]] (elected, legislative lower house) and [[Meshrano Jirga]] (mainly advisory, indirect representation); in special cases, e.g. as constituent assembly, a [[Loya Jirga]]
* in Indonesia: [[People's Consultative Assembly]], consists of [[People's Representative Council]] (elected, legislative lower house) and [[Regional Representative Council]] (elected, legislative upper house with limited powers)

===Defunct===
* [[Parliament of Southern Ireland]] (1921–1922)
* [[People's Parliament]] (1940s)
* [[Silesian Parliament]] (1922–1945)
* [[Parliament of Northern Ireland]] (1921–1973)
* [[Batasang Pambansa]] (1978-1986)
* [[National Assembly of the Republic of China]] (1913–2005)

==See also==
* [[Congress]]
* [[Delegated legislation]]
* [[Democratic mundialization]]
* [[Government]]
* [[History of democracy]]
* [[Inter-Parliamentary Union]]
* [[Legislation]]
* [[Parliamentary procedure]]
* [[Parliamentary records]]
* [[Magnum Concilium]]
* [[Witan]]
*[[Parliament of the World's Religions]]
*[[List of current presidents of assembly]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.iabp.org/ The International Association of Business and Parliament (IABP) Scottish Scheme]
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Parliament}}
* [http://www.webcitation.org/5hP7hkahY United Kingdom Parliament]

{{commons category|Parliament}}

[[Category:Legislatures]]
[[Category:Westminster system]]
[[Category:Forms of government]]

{{Link FA|ms}}
{{Link FA|sh}}

Revision as of 09:26, 20 June 2014

wagauan g
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