Legislatures

1. Legislatures Chambers of Representation? February 7th, 2006

2. Structure • legislatures designed as mechanisms of representation • who, or what, are they intended to represent?

3. Structure • unicameralism vs. bicameralism • unicameralism • Israeli (Knesset), Denmark (Folketing), Norway (Sorting), Sweden (Riksdag) • bicameralism • Canada -- House of Commons, Senate • US – House of Representatives, Senate • Germany – Bundestag, Bundesrat • Britain – House of Commons, House of Lords • France – National Assembly, Senate

4. Structure • bicameralism • lower house is typically elected on the basis of representation by population • bicameralism is always is an attempt to represent interests that would not be represented in a elected lower house based on representation by population • upper house usually insulated to some degree from immediate electoral pressure • may be elected, non-elected, or indirectly elected • typically longer electoral terms than lower house • examples... • British House of Lords • propertied interests • appointed/life • Canadian Senate • equal regional representation • appointed/age 75 • American Senate • equal state representation • elected/6 year term • German Bundesrat • semi-equalized Lander representation • appointed by Lander government/tenure of Lander government • French Senate • representation by “departement” (local region) • indirectly elected by local councils/6 year term

5. Legislative Structure • “Some issues are organized into politics...other issues are organized out.” • examples... • British House of Lords • class interests • Canadian Senate • regional interests (weak) • American Senate • state interests (strong) • German Bundesrat • Lander interests (strong) • French Senate • rural interests (vs. urban interests)

6. Political Institutions and Democracy • each model of democracy will have divergent views on various institutional arrangements • e.g. bicameral legislatures • participatory/majoritarian democracy • would not like bicameralism to the degree that it is intended to counteract majority rule on basis of representation by population • elite democrats • would like bicameralism to the degree that upper house is typically insulated from immediate electoral pressures • even unelected upper house is appointed by elected officials (e.g. satisfies minimum democratic requirements) • liberal democrats • would like bicameralism to the degree that second house would act as a check on lower house – making it more difficult for gov’t to act and limit government

7. Issues of Representation • design of legislatures raises important questions about representation... • can interests of a group be represented by someone who is not a member of that group??? • elite democrats? • majoritarian democrats?

8. Gender Representation in National Legislatures • female representation in legislatures is low • female representation decreases as the importance of the position increases • representation of women tends to be concentrated in certain types of roles • female representation varies significantly even within western industrialized countries

9. Gender Representation in National Legislatures • gender parity laws • Tanzania, Bangladesh, Eritrea, India, Uganda, Belgium, France • Iraqi Constitution (2005) • “The election law aims to achieve a percentage of women representation not less than one-quarter of the Council of Representatives members.” • France • constitutional change in 2000 • provides that 50% of all party candidates must be female • mandatory at local/municipal level • violations subject to fines at the national level