View source for Social:Bicameralism

{{short description|Legislature with two chambers}}

A '''bicameral''' [[Social:Legislature|legislature]] has legislators in two separate [[Social:Deliberative assembly|assemblies]], chambers, or houses. '''Bicameralism''' is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate and vote as a single group, and from some legislatures that have three or more separate assemblies, chambers, or houses. {{as of|2015}}, fewer than half the world's national legislatures are bicameral.<ref>{{Cite web|title = IPU PARLINE database: Structure of parliaments|url = http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/ParliamentsStructure.asp?REGION=All&LANG=ENG|website = www.ipu.org|accessdate = 25 October 2015}}</ref>

Often, the members of the two chambers are elected or selected by different methods, which vary from country to country. This can often lead to the two chambers having very different compositions of members.

Enactment of primary legislation often requires a [[Social:Concurrent majority|concurrent majority]]—the approval of a majority of members in each of the chambers of the legislature. When this is the case, the legislature may be called an example of '''perfect bicameralism.''' However, in many parliamentary and semi-presidential systems, the house to which the executive is responsible can overrule the other house and may be regarded as an example of '''imperfect bicameralism'''. Some legislatures lie in between these two positions, with one house only able to overrule the other under certain circumstances.

==History of bicameral legislatures==
[[File:Casas del Parlamento. Palacio de Westminster - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The Palace of Westminster, seat of the UK Parliament]]
[[File:12-07-13-washington-by-RalfR-10.jpg|thumb|The United States Capitol, seat of the US Congress]]
[[File:New Delhi government block 03-2016 img3.jpg|thumb|The Sansad Bhavan, seat of the Indian Parliament]]

The Founding Fathers of the United States favoured a bicameral legislature. The idea was to have the Senate be wealthier and wiser. Benjamin Rush saw this though, and noted that "this type of dominion is almost always connected with opulence". The Senate was created to be a stabilising force, elected not by mass electors, but selected by the State legislators. Senators would be more knowledgeable and more deliberate—a sort of republican nobility—and a counter to what James Madison saw as the "fickleness and passion" that could absorb the House.<ref name="HG1">{{cite web|url=http://archives.democrats.rules.house.gov/Archives/jcoc2br.htm|title=The Constitutional Background - House of Representatives archives|access-date=28 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150730195430/http://archives.democrats.rules.house.gov/Archives/jcoc2br.htm|archive-date=30 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He noted further that "The use of the Senate is to consist in its proceeding with more coolness, with more system and with more wisdom, than the popular branch." Madison's argument led the Framers to grant the Senate prerogatives in foreign policy, an area where steadiness, discretion, and caution were deemed especially important.<ref name="HG1"/> State legislators chose the Senate, and senators had to possess significant property to be deemed worthy and sensible enough for the position. In 1913, the 17th Amendment passed, which mandated choosing Senators by popular vote rather than State legislatures.<ref name="HG1"/>

As part of the Great Compromise, the Founding Fathers invented a new rationale for bicameralism in which the Senate had an equal number of delegates per state, and the House had representatives by relative populations.

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 British Parliament has been the model for most other parliamentary systems, and its Acts have created many other parliaments.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Seidle|first1=F. Leslie|last2=Docherty|first2=David C.|title=Reforming parliamentary democracy|date=2003|publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press|isbn=9780773525085|page=3|url=https://books.google.com/?id=i6je60BF-3sC&pg=PA3#v=onepage}}</ref> Many nations with parliaments have to some degree emulated the British "three-tier" model. Most countries in Europe and the [[Organization:Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] have similarly organised parliaments with a largely ceremonial [[Social:Head of state|head of state]] who formally opens and closes parliament, a large elected lower house, and (unlike Britain) a smaller upper house.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Arjomand|editor1-first=Saïd Amir|title=Constitutionalism and political reconstruction|date=2007|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-9004151741|pages=92–94|chapter-url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kYmmnYKEvE0C&lpg=PA93&pg=PA94#v=onepage|author1=Julian Go|chapter=A Globalizing Constitutionalism?, Views from the Postcolony, 1945-2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=How the Westminster Parliamentary System was exported around the World|url=http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/features/how-the-westminster-parliamentary-system-was-exported-around-the-world|publisher=University of Cambridge|accessdate=16 December 2013|date=2 December 2013}}</ref>

==Rationale for bicameralism and criticism==
{{Quote|text=A formidable sinister interest may always obtain the complete command of a dominant assembly by some chance and for a moment, and it is therefore of great use to have a second chamber of an opposite sort, differently composed, in which that interest in all likelihood will not rule.|author=Walter Bagehot|source="The English Constitution", in Norman St John-Stevas, ed., ''The Collected Works of Walter Bagehot'', London, The Economist, vol. 5, pp. 273–274.}}

There have been a number of rationales put forward in favour of bicameralism. Federal states have often adopted it, and the solution remains popular when regional differences or sensitivities require more explicit representation, with the second chamber representing the constituent states. Nevertheless, the older justification for second chambers—providing opportunities for second thoughts about legislation—has survived.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} For states considering a different constitutional arrangement that may shift power to new groupings, bicameralism could be demanded by currently hegemonic groups who would otherwise prevent any structural shift (e.g. military dictatorships, aristocracies).

The growing awareness of the complexity of the notion of representation and the multi-functional nature of modern legislatures may be affording incipient new rationales for second chambers, though these do generally remain contested institutions in ways that first chambers are not. An example of political controversy regarding a second chamber has been the debate over the powers of the Senate of Canada or the election of the Senate of France.<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.liberation.fr/politiques/010132156-senat-le-triomphe-de-l-anomalie Liberation.fr], Sénat, le triomphe de l'anomalie</ref>

The relationship between the two chambers varies; in some cases, they have equal power, while in others, one chamber is clearly superior in its powers. The first tends to be the case in federal systems and those with presidential governments. The latter tends to be the case in unitary states with [[Social:Parliamentary system|parliamentary system]]s. There are two streams of thought: Critics believe bicameralism makes meaningful political reforms more difficult to achieve and increases the risk of gridlock—particularly in cases where both chambers have similar powers—while proponents argue the merits of the "[[Philosophy:Separation of powers#Checks and balances|checks and balances]]" provided by the bicameral model, which they believe help prevent the passage into law of ill-considered legislation.

==Communication between houses==
Formal communication between houses is by various methods, including:<ref name="Odgers">{{cite book |chapterurl=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/Odgers_Australian_Senate_Practice/Chapter_21#h02 |chapter=Chapter 21: Relations with the House of Representatives  |publisher=Parliament of Australia |title=Odgers' Australian Senate Practice |edition=14th |accessdate=19 February 2018}}</ref>
;Sending messages: Formal notices, such as of [[Social:Resolution (law)|resolution]]s or the passing of bills, usually done in writing, via the clerk and [[Social:Speaker (politics)|speaker]] of each house
;Transmission: of bills or amendment to bills requiring agreement from the other house
;Joint session: a plenary session of both houses at the same time and place.
;[[Social:Joint committee (legislative)|Joint committees]]:which may be formed by committees of each house agreeing to join, or by joint resolution of each house. The United States Congress has conference committees to resolve discrepancies between House and Senate versions of a bill, similar to "Conferences" in Westminster parliaments.
;Conferences:Conferences of the Houses of the English (later British) Parliament met in the Painted Chamber of the Palace of Westminster.<ref name="Jones2014">{{cite journal|last=Jones|first=Clyve|year=2014|title=Accommodation in the Painted Chamber for Conferences between the Lords and the Commons from 1600 to 1834|journal=Parliamentary History|volume=33|issue=2|pages=342–357|issn=0264-2824|doi=10.1111/1750-0206.12100}}</ref> Historically there were two distinct types:  "ordinary" and "free". The British Parliament last held an ordinary conference in 1860—its elaborate procedure yielding to the simpler sending of messages. A free conference resolves a dispute through "managers" meeting less formally in private. The last free conference at Westminster was in 1836 on an amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act 1835;<ref>Blayden 2017 p.6; {{cite web|url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1836/aug/11/free-conference-municipal-corporations|title=Free Conference—Municipal Corporations' Act Amendment (, )|date=11 August 1836|work=Hansard|pages=HC Deb vol 35 cc1125–7 |nopp=y|accessdate=19 February 2018}}</ref> the previous one was in 1740—with not much more success than ordinary conferences, the free type yielded to the greater transparency of messages.<ref>Blayden 2017 p.6; {{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol25/pp518-526|title=Managers for the Free Conference, on the Bill to prevent Commerce with Spain.|date=22–24 April 1740|work=House of Lords Journal|publisher=British History Online|pages=Volume 25, pp.518–526 |nopp=y|accessdate=19 February 2018}}</ref> :In the Parliament of Australia there have been two formal conferences, in 1930 and 1931, but many informal conferences.<ref name="Odgers" /><ref name="BlaydenPLPP">{{cite web|url=https://www.aspg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/BlaydenPLPP-Research-Essay-Free-Conferences-in-New-South-Wales.pdf|title=Do free conferences have a place in the present-day NSW Parliament?|last=Blayden|first=Lynsey|date=September 2017|publisher=Australasian Study of Parliament Group|accessdate=19 February 2018}}</ref> {{As of|2007}} the "Conference of Managers" remains the usual procedure for dispute resolution in the Parliament of South Australia.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Crump|first=Rick|date=Spring 2007|title=Why the conference procedure remains the preferred method for resolving disputes between the two houses of the South Australian Parliament|journal=Australasian Parliamentary Review|volume=22|issue=2|pages=120–136 |citeseerx=10.1.1.611.7131}}</ref> In the Parliament of New South Wales in 2011, the Legislative Assembly requested a free conference with the Legislative Council over a bill on graffiti; after a year the Council refused, describing the mechanism as archaic and inappropriate.<ref name="BlaydenPLPP" />
:The two houses of the Parliament of Canada have also used conferences, but not since 1947 (although retaining the option).

==Types==

===Federal===
[[File:Webysther 20180212163207 - Congresso Nacional.jpg|right|thumb|The National Congress of Brazil, seat of the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate]]
Some countries, such as {{wipe|Argentina}}, {{wipe|Australia}}, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, {{wipe|Brazil}}, {{wipe|Canada}}, {{wipe|Germany}}, {{wipe|India}}, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, {{wipe|Pakistan}}, {{wipe|Russia}}, {{wipe|Switzerland}}, Nigeria, and the {{wipe|United States}}, link their bicameral systems to their [[Social:Federation|federal]] political structure.

In the United States, Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Nepal for example, each state or province is given the same number of seats in one of the houses of the legislature, despite variance in the population of each state or province — it is designed to ensure that smaller states are not overshadowed by larger states, which may have more representation in the other house of the legislature.

====Canada====
[[File:Mosaika display, Centre Block, Parliament Hill.jpeg|right|thumb|The federal bicameral Parliament of Canada, which contains a House of Commons and a Senate]]
Canada's elected lower house, the House of Commons, comprises Members of Parliament (MPs) from single-member "ridings" based mainly on population (updated every 10 years using Census data). The Commons is democratically elected every four years (constitutionally up to five years). In contrast, in Canada's upper house, Senators are appointed to serve until age 75 by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Government (i.e. executive) is responsible to and must maintain the confidence of the elected House of Commons. Although the two chambers formally have many of the same powers, this accountability clearly makes the Commons dominant—determining which party is in power, approving its proposed budget and (largely) the laws enacted. The Senate primarily acts as a chamber of revision: it almost never rejects bills passed by the Commons but does regularly amend them, respecting each bill's purpose so usually acceptable to the Commons. Occasionally, the two houses cannot come to agreement on an amendment, which results in rare instances of key Government bill failing.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} The Senate's power to investigate issues of concern to Canada can raise their profile (sometimes sharply) on voters′ political agendas.

====Australia====
[[File:Parliament House - panoramio (7).jpg|right|thumb|The federal bicameral Parliament of Australia, which contains a House of Representatives and a Senate]]
The bicameral Parliament of Australia consists of two Houses, the lower house is called the House of Representatives and the upper house is named the Senate. The lower house currently consists of 151 members, each elected from single member constituencies, known as electoral divisions (commonly referred to as "electorates" or "seats") using full-preference Instant-runoff voting. This tends to lead to the chamber being dominated by two major parties, the Liberal/National Coalition and the Labor Party. The government of the day must achieve the confidence of this House to gain and hold power.

The upper house, the Senate, is also popularly elected under the [[Social:Single transferable vote|single transferable vote]] system of [[Social:Proportional representation|proportional representation]]. There are a total of 76 senators: 12 senators are elected from each of the six Australian states (regardless of population) and two from each of the two autonomous internal territories (the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory).

Unlike upper houses in most [[Social:Westminster system|Westminster parliamentary systems]], the Australian Senate is vested with significant power, including the capacity to block legislation initiated by the government in the House of Representatives, making it a distinctive hybrid of British [[Social:Westminster system|Westminster bicameralism]] and US-style bicameralism. As a result of proportional representation, the chamber features a multitude of parties vying for power. The governing party or coalition, which must maintain the confidence of the lower house, rarely has a majority in the Senate and usually needs to negotiate with other parties and Independents to get legislation passed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/pops/pop34 |title=Papers on Parliament No. 34 Representation and Institutional Change: 50 Years of Proportional Representation in the Senate |date=1999 |accessdate=23 February 2017}}</ref>

====Others====
In German, Indian, and Pakistani systems, the upper houses (the Bundesrat, the Rajya Sabha, and the Senate respectively) are even more closely linked with the federal system, being appointed or elected directly by the governments or legislatures of each German or Indian state, or Pakistani province. This was also the case in the United States before the Seventeenth Amendment was adopted. Because of this coupling to the [[Social:Executive (government)|executive branch]], German legal doctrine does not treat the ''Bundesrat'' as the second chamber of a bicameral system formally. Rather, it sees the ''Bundesrat'' and the ''Bundestag'' as independent constitutional bodies. Only the directly elected ''Bundestag'' is considered the parliament.<ref>According to the ''Bundesverfassungsgericht'', BVerfGE 37, 363, Aktenzeichen 2 BvF 2, 3/73</ref> In the German ''Bundesrat'', the various ''Länder'' have between three and six votes; thus, while the less populated states have a lower weight, they still have a stronger voting power than would be the case in a system based ''purely'' on population, as the most populous ''Land'' currently has about 27 times the population of the least populous. The Indian upper house does not have the states represented equally, but on the basis of their population.

There is also bicameralism in countries that are not federations, but have upper houses with representation on a territorial basis. For example, in South Africa, the National Council of Provinces (and before 1997, the Senate) has its members chosen by each Province's legislature.

In Spain the Senate functions as a ''de facto'' territorial-based upper house, and there has been some pressure from the Autonomous Communities to reform it into a strictly territorial chamber.

The [[Social:European Union|European Union]] maintains a bicameral legislative system consisting of the European Parliament, which is elected in elections on the basis of universal suffrage, and the [[Organization:Council of the European Union|Council of the European Union]], which consists of one representative for each Government of member countries, who are competent for a relevant field of legislation. The European Union is not considered a country nor a state, but it enjoys the power to address national Governments in many areas.

===Aristocratic and post-aristocratic===
In a few countries, bicameralism involves the juxtaposition of democratic and aristocratic elements.

==== House of Lords of the United Kingdom ====
The best known example is the British House of Lords, which includes a number of hereditary peers. The House of Lords is a vestige of the aristocratic system that once predominated in British politics, while the other house, the House of Commons, is entirely elected. Over the years, some have proposed reforms to the House of Lords, some of which have been at least partly successful. The House of Lords Act 1999 limited the number of hereditary peers (as opposed to life peers, appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister) to 92, down from around 700. Of these 92, one is the Earl Marshal, a hereditary office always held by the Duke of Norfolk, one is the Lord Great Chamberlain, a hereditary office held by turns, currently by the Marquess of Cholmondeley, and the other 90 are elected by all sitting peers. Hereditary peers elected by the House to sit as representative peers sit for life; when a representative peer dies, byelections occur to fill the vacancy. The ability of the House of Lords to block legislation is curtailed by the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949. Peers can introduce bills except Money Bills, and all legislation must be passed by both Houses of Parliament. If not passed within two sessions, the House of Commons can override the Lords′ delay by invoking the ''Parliament Act''. Certain legislation, however, must be approved by both Houses without being forced by the Commons under the ''Parliament Act''. These include any bill that would extend the time length of a Parliament, private bills, bills sent to the House of Lords less than one month before the end of a session, and bills that originated in the House of Lords.

Life Peers are appointed either by recommendation of the Appointment Commission (the independent body that vets non-partisan peers, typically from academia, business or culture) or by Dissolution Honour, which takes place at the end of every Parliamentary term when leaving MPs may be offered a seat to keep their institutional memory. It is traditional to offer a peerage to every outgoing Speaker of the House of Commons.<ref>[http://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/about-lords/lords-appointment/ How do you become a Member of the House of Lords? - UK Parliament]. Parliament.uk (21 April 2010). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref>

Further reform of the Lords has been proposed; however, reform is not supported by many. Members of the House of Lords all have an aristocratic title, or are from the Clergy. 26 Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England sit as Lords Spiritual (the [[Religion:Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop of Canterbury]], Archbishop of York, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Durham, the Bishop of Winchester and the next 21 longest-serving Bishops). It is usual that retiring Archbishops, and certain other Bishops, are appointed to the Crossbenches and given a life peerage.

Until 2009, 12 Lords of Appeal in Ordinary sat in the House as the highest court in the land; they subsequently became justices of the newly created Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. At present, 786 people sit in the House of Lords, with 92 Hereditary Peers, 26 Lords Spiritual and 668 Life Peers. Membership is not fixed and decreases only on the death, retirement or resignation of a life peer.

==== Japan's Former House of Peers ====
Another example of aristocratic bicameralism was the Japanese House of Peers, abolished after [[Social:World War II|World War II]] and replaced with the present House of Councillors.

===Unitary states===
{{multiple image
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 | image1 = Senate @ Jardin du Luxembourg @ Paris (23764477852).jpg
 | image2 = Paris - Palais Bourbon (24519023495).jpg
 | footer=Some bicameral legislatures have chambers that meet on different buildings, at different parts of the city. Here, France's upper house called the Senate meet in the Luxembourg Palace (top), while the lower house, the National Assembly, meets at the Palais Bourbon (bottom).
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Many bicameral countries like the Netherlands, the {{wipe|Philippines}}, the [[Place:Czech Republic|Czech Republic]], the Republic of Ireland and Romania are examples of bicameral systems existing in [[Earth:Unitary state|unitary state]]s. In countries such as these, the upper house generally focuses on scrutinizing and possibly vetoing the decisions of the lower house.

==== Italian Parliament ====
On the other hand, in Italy the Parliament consists of two chambers that have the same role and power: the Senate (Senate of the Republic, commonly considered the ''upper house'') and the Chamber of Deputies (considered the ''lower house''). The main difference among the two chambers is the way the two chambers are composed: the deputies, in fact, are elected on a nation-wide basis, whilst the members of the Senate are elected on a regional basis: this may lead to different majorities among the two chambers because, for example, a party may be the first nationally but second or third in some regions. Considering that in the Italian Republic the Government needs to win confidence votes in both the chambers, it may happen that a Government has a strong majority (usually) in the Chamber of Deputies and a weak one (or no majority at all) in the Senate. This has led to frequent legislative deadlocks, which has caused instability in the Italian Government.<ref>https://parliamentsandlegislatures.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/italy-by-c-fasone-and-m-romaniello.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.carlofusaro.it/in_english/Bicameralism_in_ITA_2013.pdf</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://constitutionnet.org/news/italian-constitutional-reforms-towards-stable-and-efficient-government|title=Italian constitutional reforms: Towards a stable and efficient government|website=ConstitutionNet}}</ref>

==== Indirectly Elected Upper Houses (France, Ireland, Netherlands) ====
In some of these countries, the upper house is indirectly elected. Members of France's Senate and Ireland's Seanad Éireann are chosen by [[Social:Electoral college|electoral college]]s, the latter's consisting of members of the lower house, local councillors, the Taoiseach, and graduates of selected universities, while the Netherlands' Senate is chosen by members of provincial assemblies (which, in turn, are directly elected).

==== Semi-bicameral (Hong Kong, Formerly Norway) ====
In [[Place:Hong Kong|Hong Kong]], members of the unicameral Legislative Council returned from the democratically elected geographical constituencies and partially-democratic functional constituencies are required to vote separately since 1997 on motions, bills or amendments to government bills not introduced by the government. The passage of these motions, bills or amendments to government bills requires double majority in both groups simultaneously. (Before 2004, when elections to the Legislative Council from the Election Committee was abolished, members returned through the Election Committee vote with members returned from geographical constituencies.) The double majority requirement does not apply to motions, bills and amendments introduced by the government.

{{wipe|Norway}} had a kind of semi-bicameral legislature with two chambers, or departments, within the same elected body, the Storting. These were called the Odelsting and were abolished after the general election of 2009. According to Morten Søberg, there was a related system in the 1798 constitution of the [[Place:Batavian Republic|Batavian Republic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.minervanett.no/|title=Minerva|website=Minerva}}</ref>

== Subnational entities ==
In some countries with federal systems, individual states (like those of the United States, Argentina, Australia and India) may also have bicameral legislatures. A few such states as Nebraska in the U.S., Queensland in Australia, Bavaria in Germany, and Tucumán and Córdoba in Argentina have later adopted unicameral systems. (Brazilian states and Canadian provinces all abolished upper houses.)

===Argentina===
[[File:Legislaturas provinciales de Argentina.png|upright|thumb|Provincial legislatures in Argentina]]In the Argentine Republic, eight provinces have bicameral legislatures, with a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies: Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Mendoza, Salta, San Luis (since 1987) and Santa Fe. Tucumán and Córdoba changed to unicameral systems in 1990 and 2001 respectively.<ref>Malamud, Andrés and Martín Costanzo (2010) "[http://repositorio.ul.pt/handle/10451/11915 Bicameralismo subnacional: el caso argentino en perspectiva comparada]". In: Igor Vivero Ávila (ed.), Democracia y reformas políticas en México y América Latina (pp. 219-246). Mexico: M. A. Porrúa.</ref> Santiago del Estero changed to a bicameral legislature in 1884, but changed back to an unicameral system in 1903.

===Australia===
In Australian states, the lower house was traditionally elected based on the one-vote-one-value principle, whereas the upper house was partially appointed and elected, with a bias towards country voters and landowners. In Queensland, the appointed upper house was abolished in 1922, while in New South Wales there were similar attempts at abolition, before the upper house was reformed in the 1970s to provide for direct election. Nowadays, the upper house both federally and in most states is elected using the [[Social:Single transferable vote|Single transferable vote]] form of [[Social:Proportional representation|proportional representation]] while the lower house uses Instant-runoff voting in single member electorates. This is reversed in the state of Tasmania, where proportional representation is used for the lower house and single member electorates for the upper house.

===Bosnia and Herzegovina===
The Legislature of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a bicameral legislative body. It consists of two chambers. The House of Representatives has 98 delegates, elected for four-year terms by proportional representation. The House of Peoples has 58 members, 17 delegates from among each of the constituent peoples of the Federation, and 7 delegates from among the other peoples.<ref>[http://www.advokat-prnjavorac.com/legislation/constitution_fbih.pdf Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina]</ref> Republika Srpska, the other entity, has a unicameral parliament, known as the National Assembly<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.narodnaskupstinars.net/?q=en/national-assembly/about-national-assembly|title=About National Assembly - NSRS|website=www.narodnaskupstinars.net}}</ref>, but there is also a Council of Peoples who is ''de facto'' other house of legislative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vijecenarodars.net/ |work=vijecenarodars.net |language=Serbian |title=Home page}}</ref>

===Germany===
The German federal state of Bavaria had a bicameral legislature from 1946 to 1999, when the Senate was abolished by a referendum amending the state's constitution. The other 15 states have used a unicameral system since their founding.

===India===

Six Indian states, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, have bicameral Legislatures, in these states the upper house is called State Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad), one third of whose members are elected every two years. Among the members of state legislative councils:

*One third are elected by the members of local bodies in the state such as municipalities, Gram panchayats, block development councils and the district councils of India.
*One third are elected by  the members of State Legislative Assembly (vidhan sabha) of the state from among the persons who are not members of the State Legislative Assembly.
*One sixth are nominated by the governor of the state from persons having knowledge or practical experience in fields such as literature, [[Science|science]], arts, the [[Finance:Cooperative|co-operative movement]] and [[Social:Social work|social service]].
*One twelfth are elected by persons who are graduates of three years' standing residing in that state.
*One twelfth are elected by persons engaged for at least three years in teaching in educational institutions within the state not lower than [[Social:Secondary school|secondary school]]s, including [[Organization:College|college]]s and [[Organization:University|universities]].

From 1956 to 1958 the Andhra Pradesh Legislature was unicameral. In 1958, when the State Legislative Council was formed, it became bicameral until 1 June 1985 when it was abolished. This continued until March 2007 when the State Legislative Council was reestablished and elections were held for its seats. Since then the Andhra Pradesh Legislature has become once again bicameral. In Tamil Nadu, a resolution was passed on 14 May 1986 and the State Legislative Council was dissolved on 1 November 1986. Again on 12 April 2010, a resolution was passed to bring it back bicameral, but became unsuccessful in 2011. Similarly the states of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal have also dissolved the upper house of their state legislature.

===Russia===
Under Soviet regime regional and local Soviets were unicameral. After the adoption of 1993 Russian Constitution bicameralism was introduced in some regions. Bicameral regional legislatures are still technically allowed by federal law but this clause is dormant now. The last region to switch from bicameralism to unicameralism was Sverdlovsk Oblast in 2012.

===United States===
During the 1930s, the Legislature of the State of Nebraska was reduced from bicameral to unicameral with the 43 members that once comprised that state's Senate. One of the arguments used to sell the idea at the time to Nebraska voters was that by adopting a unicameral system, the perceived evils of the "conference committee" process would be eliminated.

A conference committee is appointed when the two chambers cannot agree on the same wording of a proposal, and consists of a small number of legislators from each chamber. This tends to place much power in the hands of only a small number of legislators. Whatever legislation, if any, the conference committee finalizes is presented in an unamendable "take-it-or-leave-it" manner by both chambers.

During his term as [[Social:Governor|governor]] of the State of Minnesota, [[Biography:Jesse Ventura|Jesse Ventura]] proposed converting the Minnesotan legislature to a single chamber with [[Social:Proportional representation|proportional representation]], as a reform that he felt would solve many legislative difficulties and impinge upon legislative corruption. In his book on political issues, ''Do I Stand Alone?'', Ventura argued that bicameral legislatures for provincial and local areas were excessive and unnecessary, and discussed unicameralism as a reform that could address many legislative and budgetary problems for states.

==Reform==

===Arab political reform===
A 2005 report<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cfr.org/pdf/Arab_Democracy_TF.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705153315/http://www.cfr.org/pdf/Arab_Democracy_TF.pdf|url-status=dead|title=2005 report|archivedate=5 July 2008}}</ref> on democratic reform in the Arab world by the U.S. [[Organization:Council on Foreign Relations|Council on Foreign Relations]] co-sponsored by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright urged Arab states to adopt bicameralism, with upper chambers appointed on a 'specialized basis'. The Council claimed that this would protect against the '[[Social:Tyranny of the majority|Tyranny of the majority]]', expressing concerns that without a system of checks and balances extremists would use the single chamber parliaments to restrict the rights of minority groups.

In 2002, Bahrain adopted a bicameral system with an elected lower chamber and an appointed upper house. This led to a boycott of parliamentary elections that year by the Al Wefaq party, who said that the government would use the upper house to veto their plans. Many secular critics of bicameralism were won around to its benefits in 2005, after many MPs in the lower house voted for the introduction of so-called morality police.

===Romania===
A referendum on introducing a unicameral Parliament instead of the current bicameral Parliament was held in Romania on 22 November 2009. The turnout rate was 50.95%, with 77.78% of "Yes" votes for a unicameral Parliament.<ref>[http://www.news-ro.info/referendum-turnout-5095-7778-said-yes-for-a-unicameral-parliament-8884-voted-for-the-decrease-in-the-number-of-parliamentarians.html Referendum turnout 50.95%. 77.78 said YES for a unicameral Parliament, 88.84% voted for the decrease in the number of Parliamentarians] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721231024/http://www.news-ro.info/referendum-turnout-5095-7778-said-yes-for-a-unicameral-parliament-8884-voted-for-the-decrease-in-the-number-of-parliamentarians.html |date=21 July 2011 }}, Official results from the Romanian Central Electoral Commission</ref> This referendum had a consultative role, thus requiring a parliamentary initiative and another referendum to ratify the new proposed changes.

===Ivory Coast===
A referendum on a new constitution was held on 30 October 2016. The constitution draft would create a bicameral Parliament instead of the current unicameral. The Senate is expected to represent the interests of territorial collectivities and Ivoirians living abroad. Two thirds of the Senate is to be elected at the same time as the general election. The remaining one third is appointed by the president elect.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://constitutionnet.org/news/innovations-draft-constitution-cote-divoire-towards-hyper-presidentialism|title=Innovations of the Draft Constitution of Cote d'Ivoire: Towards hyper-presidentialism?|website=ConstitutionNet}}</ref>

==Examples==

===Current===
[[File:Unibicameral Map.svg|upright=3.4|thumb|center|{{legend|#38b4d8|Nations with a bicameral legislature.}}{{legend|#f09c30|Nations with a unicameral legislature.}}{{legend|#b0e947|Nations with a unicameral legislature and an advisory body.}}{{legend|#303030|Nations with no legislature.}}{{legend|#a0989f|No data.}}]]
====Federal====
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
|-
! rowspan=2| Country !! colspan=2| Bicameral body !! rowspan=2| Notes
|-
! Upper house !! Lower house
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Argentina}} || colspan=2| '''National Congress''' || rowspan=2| Of the twenty-three provincial legislatures, eight are bicameral, while the remaining fifteen and the legislature of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires are unicameral.
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Australia}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All of the state parliaments except Queensland's are also bicameral. The Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are also unicameral.
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Austria}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All of the ''Bundesländer'' have unicameral parliaments.
|-
| Bundesrat (Federal Council) || Nationalrat (National Council) 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Belgium}} || colspan=2| '''Federal Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All of the community and regional parliaments are unicameral.
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Representatives 
|-
|rowspan=2|  {{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}   ||colspan=2|   '''Parliamentary Assembly''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| House of Peoples || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Brazil}} || colspan=2| '''National Congress''' || rowspan=2| All of the 26 state legislatures and the Federal District legislature are unicameral.
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Canada}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All of the provincial legislatures are unicameral.
|-
| Senate || House of Commons 
|- 
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Ethiopia}} || colspan=2| '''Federal Parliamentary Assembly''' || rowspan=2| Regional Councils are unicameral. Assemblypersons of the Regional Councils are elected directly.
|-
| House of Federation || House of Peoples' Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Germany}} || colspan=2| N/A || rowspan=2| In Germany, the chambers form two distinct constitutional bodies not framed by a comprehensive institution. All of the federal states (''Länder'') today have unicameral parliaments.
|-
| Bundesrat (Federal Council) || de |Bundestag (Federal Diet)
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|India}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| six of the twenty-eight states also have bicameral legislatures, consisting the upper house State Legsilative Council (Vidhan Parishad) and lower house State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) respectively. The remaining twenty-two states and the union territories of [[Place:Delhi|Delhi]], Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry have unicameral legislature.
|-
| Rajya Sabha (Council of States) || Lok Sabha (House of the People)
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Malaysia}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All the 13 State Legislative Assemblies are unicameral. 
|-
| Dewan Negara (Senate) || Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Mexico}} || colspan=2| '''Congress''' || rowspan=2| All the 31 State Congresses and the Legislative Assembly of the Federal District are unicameral.
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Nepal}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All of the provincial assemblies are unicameral.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://constitution.org.np/userfiles/constitution%20of%20nepal%202072-en.pdf |title=Constitution of Nepal |accessdate=18 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223153410/http://constitution.org.np/userfiles/constitution%20of%20nepal%202072-en.pdf |archivedate=23 December 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|-
| Rastriya Sabha (National Assembly) || Pratinidhi Sabha (House of Representatives)
|-
| rowspan=2|{{flag|Nigeria}} ||colspan=2| '''National Assembly''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Pakistan}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All of the provincial assemblies are unicameral.
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Russia}} || colspan=2| '''Federal Assembly''' || rowspan=2| All the regional legislatures are now unicameral while bicameralism in regions is technically allowed by the Federation.
|-
| Federation Council || State Duma
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Somalia}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of The People 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Switzerland}} || colspan=2| '''Federal Assembly''' || rowspan=2| All of the cantons have unicameral parliaments.
|-
| Council of States || National Council
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|United States}} || colspan=2| '''Congress''' || rowspan=2| All of the state legislatures, except Nebraska, are also bicameral. The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is bicameral. The Council of the District of Columbia is unicameral.
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|}

====Unitary====
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
|-
! rowspan=2| Country !! colspan=2| Bicameral body !! rowspan=2| Notes
|-
! Upper house !! Lower house
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Afghanistan}} ||  colspan=2| '''National Assembly''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Meshrano Jirga (House of Elders) || Wolesi Jirga (House of the People)
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Algeria}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Council of the Nation || People's National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Bahamas}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| Senate || House of Assembly
|-
|rowspan=2|  {{flag|Bahrain}}   ||colspan=2|  '''National Assembly'''   ||rowspan=2|
|-
|    Consultative Council  || Council of Representatives
|-
|rowspan=2|  {{flag|Barbados}}   ||colspan=2|   '''Parliament'''  ||rowspan=2|
|-
|   Senate   || House of Assembly
|-
|rowspan=2|   {{flag|Belarus}}  ||colspan=2|   '''National Assembly'''  ||rowspan=2|
|-
|   Council   || House of Representatives
|-
|rowspan=2|  {{flag|Belize}}   ||colspan=2|   '''National Assembly'''  ||rowspan=2|
|-
|   Senate   || House of Representatives
|-
|rowspan=2|  {{flag|Bhutan}}   ||colspan=2|   '''Parliament'''  ||rowspan=2|
|-
|    National Council  || National Assembly
|-
|rowspan=2|  {{flag|Bolivia}}   ||colspan=2|   '''Plurinational Legislative Assembly'''  ||rowspan=2|
|-
|    Senate  || Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Burundi}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Cambodia}} || colspan=2|'''Parliament''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Cameroon}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
|Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Central African Republic}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
|Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Chile}} || colspan=2| '''National Congress''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Colombia}} || colspan=2| '''Congress''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Representatives
|- 
|  rowspan=2| {{flag|Czech Republic}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies
|-
|  rowspan=2| {{flag|DR Congo}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
|  rowspan=2| {{flag|Congo}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
|  rowspan=2| {{flag|Dominican Republic}} || colspan=2| '''Congress''' || rowspan=2|
|-
|Senate|| Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Equatorial Guinea}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Eswatini}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|France}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' in the {{wipe|France}} || rowspan=2| All Regional Councils are unicameral. The regional councillors are elected directly.
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Gabon}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Grenada}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Haiti}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Indonesia}} || colspan=2| '''People's Consultative Assembly''' || rowspan=2| All of the provinces have unicameral parliaments.
|-
| Regional Representative Council || People's Representative Council
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Ireland}} || colspan=2| {{lang|ga|'''Oireachtas'''}} || rowspan=2| A 2013 proposal to abolish the Seanad was defeated at referendum
|-
| Seanad Éireann (Senate of Ireland'')'' || Dáil Éireann (Assembly of Ireland) 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Italy}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate of the Republic || Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Ivory Coast}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|- 
| rowspan=2|  {{flag|Jamaica}}  ||colspan=2| '''Parliament''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Japan}} || colspan=2| '''National Diet''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| House of Councillors || House of Representatives 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Jordan}} ||colspan=2| '''Parliament'''||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Kazakhstan}} ||colspan=2| '''Parliament'''||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || Majilis (Assembly of People)
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Kenya}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Lesotho}} ||colspan=2| '''Parliament''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Liberia}} || colspan=2| '''Legislature''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Madagascar}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Morocco}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| House of Councillors || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Myanmar}} || colspan=2| '''Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union)''' || rowspan=2| All the 14 State and Region Hluttaw (Assemblies) are unicameral.
|-
| Amyotha Hluttaw (House of Nationalities) || Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives)
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Namibia}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| National Council || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Netherlands}} || colspan=2| '''States General''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Eerste Kamer || Tweede Kamer
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Oman}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| |Majlis al-Dawla (Council of State) || Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Assembly) 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Palau}} || colspan=2| '''National Congress''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Delegates
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Paraguay}} || colspan=2| '''Congress''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Chamber of Deputies || Senate
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Philippines}} || colspan=2| '''Congress''' || rowspan=2| All local legislatures are unicameral.
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Poland}} || colspan=2| '''National Assembly''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || Sejm (''Diet'') 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Romania}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Rwanda}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| 
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies
|-
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Saint Lucia}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
|Senate||House of Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Slovenia}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2|In 2008, the Constitutional Court of Slovenia recognized the Slovenian Parliament as incompletely bicameral.
|-
| National Council || National Assembly 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|South Africa}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| All of the provincial legislatures are unicameral.
|-
| National Council of Provinces || National Assembly 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Spain}} || colspan=2| '''Cortes Generales''' || rowspan=2| Moreover, each Spanish autonomous region has its own unicameral regional parliament, with wide-ranging legislative powers on their own.
|-
| Senate || Congress of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|Tajikistan}} || colspan=2| '''Supreme Assembly''' || rowspan=2|
|-
| National Assembly || Assembly of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2|{{flag|Thailand}} || colspan=2|'''National Assembly''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2|{{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}} || colspan=2|'''Parliament''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flag|United Kingdom}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved unicameral legislatures, each with a varying range of powers.
|-
| House of Lords || House of Commons 
|-
| rowspan=2|{{flag|Uruguay}} || colspan=2|'''General Assembly''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2|{{flag|Uzbekistan}} || colspan=2|'''Supreme Assembly''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate || Legislative Chamber
|-
| rowspan=2|{{flag|Zimbabwe}} || colspan=2|'''Parliament''' ||rowspan=2|
|-
| Senate||House of Assembly
|}

===Historical===

{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Denmark}}}} || colspan=2| '''Rigsdagen''' || rowspan=2| Under the 1849 constitution ''Rigsdagen'' was created, with two houses, an upper and lower house. However, after the 1953 referendum, both ''Rigsdagen'' and the ''Landsting'' was abolished, making the ''Folketing'' the sole chamber of the parliament.
|-
| Landsting (Upper house) || Folketing (Lower house) 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Greece|old}}}} || colspan=2| '''Parliament of the Hellenes''' || rowspan=2| The Senate as an upper chamber was established by the Greek Constitution of 1844, of the Kingdom of Greece, and was abolished by the Greek Constitution of 1864. The Senate was reestabished by the [[Social:Republic|republic]]an Constitution of 1927, which establishing the Second Hellenic Republic and was disestablished by the restoration of the Kingdom of Greece at 1935.
|-
| Gerousia (Senate) || Vouli (Chamber of Deputies) 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|South Korea|1949|name=Korea, South}}}} || colspan=2| '''National Assembly''' || rowspan=2| Under the first constitution (first republic, 1948–52), the National Assembly was unicameral. The second and third constitutions (first republic, 1952–60) regulated the National Assembly was bicameral and consisted of the House of Commons and the Senate, but only the House of Commons was established and the House of Commons could not pass a bill to establish the Senate. During the short-lived second republic (1960–61), the National Assembly became practically bicameral, but it was overturned by the May 16 coup. The National Assembly has been unicameral since its reopen in 1963.
|-
| Senate || House of Commons 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|New Zealand}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| Until 1950, the New Zealand Parliament was bicameral. It became unicameral in 1951, but the name "House of Representatives" has been retained.
|-
| Legislative Council || House of Representatives 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Peru}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Congress''' || rowspan=2| The 1979 Constitution, which marked the return to democracy, followed the trend of previous constitutions of keeping a bicameral legislature. However it was dissolved altogether by President Alberto Fujimori by his 1992 autocoup. Later, under the newer 1993 constitution, the bicameral system was replaced by the unicameral Congress of the Republic.
|-
| Senate || Chamber of Deputies
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Portugal|1830}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Cortes''' || rowspan=2| During the period of Constitutional Monarchy, the Portuguese Parliament was bicameral. The lower house was the Chamber of Deputies and the upper house was the Chamber of Peers (except during the 1838-1842 period, where a Senate existed instead). With the replacement of the Monarchy by the Republic in 1910, the Parliament continued to be bicameral with a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate existing until 1926.
|-
| Chamber of Deputies || Chamber of Peers 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Soviet Union}}}} || colspan=2| '''Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union''' || rowspan=2| The Congress of People's Deputies superseded the Supreme Soviet. The Soviet of the Republics briefly succeeded the Soviet of Nationalities in late 1991.
|-
| Soviet of Nationalities || Soviet of the Union
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{flag|Sweden}}
| colspan="2" |Riksdagen
| rowspan="2" |Until 1970, the Swedish Riksdag was bicameral. It became unicameral in 1971, but retained the name Riksdag. 
|-
|Första kammaren (Upper house)
|Andra kammaren (Lower house)
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Turkey}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| It was established with the Turkish constitution of 1961 and abolished with the Turkish constitution of 1982, although it did not exist between 1980 and 1982 either as a result of the 1980 coup d'état in Turkey.
|-
| National Assembly || Senate of the Republic 
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Venezuela|1954}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Congress''' || rowspan=2| Under the 1999 constitution, the bicameral system was replaced by the unicameral National Assembly of Venezuela.
|-
| Chamber of Deputies|| Senate
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Fiji}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| Original bicameral system suspended by 2006 coup. 2013 Constitution of Fiji abolished it and replaced it with a single chamber Parliament.
|-
| Senate || House of Representatives
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Mauritania|1959}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| Under the 2017 Referendum, the bicameral system was replaced by the unicameral system.
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|-
| rowspan=2| {{nowrap|1={{flag|Iran|1964}}}} || colspan=2 | '''Parliament''' || rowspan=2| Between 1950 and 1979
|-
| Senate || National Assembly
|}

==See also==
*List of abolished upper houses

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

==External links==
* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=505822 ''Noncontemporaneous Lawmaking: Can the 110th Senate Enact a Bill Passed by the 109th House?'', 16 Cornell J.L. & Pub. Pol'y 331 (2007).]
* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=932574 Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl, ''Against Mix-and-Match Lawmaking'', 16 '''Cornell J.L. & Pub. Pol'y''' 349 (2007).]
* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=956155 ''Defending the (Not So) Indefensible: A Reply to Professor Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl'', 16 '''Cornell J.L. & Pub. Pol'y''' 363 (2007).]

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[[Category:Forms of government]]

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