Unicameralism

{{Short description|Governmental practice of having a single legislative or parliamentary chamber}}

{{Redirect|Unicameral}}

{{Legislature}}

Unicameralism (from uni- "one" + Latin camera "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one.{{cite book |last=Lanham |first=Url |title=The insects |url=https://worldcat.org/title/1003201754 |year=2018 |publisher=Gene-Tech Books |isbn=978-81-89729-42-4 |oclc=1003201754}} Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly 60% of all national legislatures{{Cite web |date=2022 |title= Structure of parliaments |url=https://data.ipu.org/compare?field=country%3A%3Afield_structure_of_parliament#pie |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=IPU PARLINE database }} and an even greater share of subnational legislatures.

Sometimes, as in New Zealand and Denmark, unicameralism comes about through the abolition of one of two bicameral chambers, or, as in Sweden, through the merger of the two chambers into a single one, while in others a second chamber has never existed from the beginning.

Rationale for unicameralism and criticism

The principal advantage of a unicameral system is more efficient lawmaking, as the legislative process is simpler and there is no possibility of deadlock between two chambers. Proponents of unicameralism have also argued that it reduces costs, even if the number of legislators stays the same, since there are fewer institutions to maintain and support financially. More popular among modern-day democratic countries, unicameral, proportional legislatures are widely seen as both more democratic and effective.{{Cite book |last=Wirls |first=Daniel |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/51878651 |title=The invention of the United States Senate |date=2004 |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |others=Stephen Wirls |isbn=0-8018-7438-6 |location=Baltimore |oclc=51878651}}

Proponents of bicameral legislatures say that having two legislative chambers offers an additional restraint on the majority, though critics note that there are other ways to restrain majorities, such as through non-partisan courts and a robust constitution.{{Cite book |last=Litt |first=David |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1120147424 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |title=Democracy in One Book Or Less: How It Works, Why It Doesn't, and Why Fixing It Is Easier Than You Think |date=2020 |isbn=978-0-06-287936-3 |edition=First |location=New York, NY |oclc=1120147424}}

List of unicameral legislatures

File:Unibicameral Map.svg

Approximately half of the world's sovereign states are currently unicameral. The People's Republic of China is somewhat in-between, with a legislature and a formal advisory body. China has a Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference which meets alongside the National People's Congress, in many respects an advisory "upper house".

Many subnational entities have unicameral legislatures. These include the state of Nebraska and territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands in the United States, the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, the Australian state of Queensland as well as the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, a majority of the provinces of Argentina, all of the provinces and territories in Canada, all of the regions of Italy, all of the provinces of Nepal, all of the Spanish autonomous communities, both of the autonomous regions of Portugal, most of the states and union territories of India, and all of the states of Brazil and Germany. In the United Kingdom, the devolved Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the London Assembly are also unicameral.

=National (UN member states and observers)=

==Federal==

{|class="wikitable sortable"

! Country

! Unicameral body

! Seats

! Notes

|-

|{{flag|Germany}}

| Bundestag

|630

|The Bundestag is technically the unicameral parliament of Germany, since the Bundesrat is not defined as a chamber of the legislature, but a completely separate legislative institution according to the Basic Law (German constitution).

|-

|{{flag|Iraq}}

| Council of Representatives

|329

| A provision exists for the founding of a "Council of Union", but no move to this effect has been initiated by the existing Council

|-

|{{flag|Micronesia}}

| Congress

|14

|

|-

|{{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}}

| National Assembly

|15

|

|-

|{{flag|United Arab Emirates}}

| Federal National Council

|40

|

|-

|{{flag|Venezuela}}

| National Assembly

|277

|

|}

==Unitary==

{|class="wikitable sortable"

! Country

! Unicameral body

! Seats

! Notes

|-

| {{flag|Afghanistan}}

| Leadership Council

|30

|Purely advisory, powers reside in the emir

|-

| {{flag|Albania}}

| Kuvendi

|140

|

|-

| {{flag|Andorra}}

| General Council of Andorra

|28

|

|-

| {{flag|Angola}}

| National Assembly

|220

|

|-

| {{flag|Armenia}}

| National Assembly

|107

|

|-

| {{flag|Azerbaijan}}

| National Assembly

|125

|

|-

| {{flag|Bangladesh}}

| Jatiya Sangsad

|350

|

|-

| {{flag|Benin}}

| National Assembly

|109

|

|-

| {{flag|Botswana}}

| National Assembly

|65

|

|-

| {{flag|Brunei}}

| Legislative Council

|37

|Purely advisory, powers reside in the King

|-

| {{flag|Bulgaria}}

| National Assembly

|240

|

|-

| {{flag|Burkina Faso}}

| National Assembly

|127

|

|-

| {{flag|Cape Verde}}

| National Assembly

|72

|

|-

| {{flag|Central African Republic}}

| National Assembly

|140

|

|-

| {{flag|Chad}}

| National Assembly

|188

|

|-

| {{flag|China}}

| National People's Congress

|2977

|

|-

| {{flag|Costa Rica}}

| Legislative Assembly

|57

|

|-

| {{flag|Croatia}}

| Sabor

|151

|

|-

| {{flag|Cuba}}

| National Assembly of People's Power

|470

|

|-

| {{flag|Cyprus}}

| House of Representatives

|56

|

|-

| {{flag|Denmark}}

| Folketing

|179

|

|-

| {{flag|Djibouti}}

| National Assembly

|65

|

|-

| {{flag|Dominica}}

| House of Assembly

|32

|

|-

| {{flag|East Timor}}

| National Parliament

|65

|

|-

| {{flag|Ecuador}}

| National Assembly

|137

|

|-

| {{flag|El Salvador}}

|Legislative Assembly

|60

|

|-

| {{flag|Eritrea}}

| National Assembly

|150

|

|-

| {{flag|Estonia}}

| Riigikogu

|101

|

|-

| {{flag|Fiji}}

| Parliament

|55

|

|-

| {{flag|Finland}}

| Parliament

|200

|

|-

| {{flag|Gambia}}

| National Assembly

|58

|

|-

| {{flag|Georgia}}

| Parliament

|150

|

|-

| {{flag|Ghana}}

| Parliament

|275

|

|-

| {{flag|Greece}}

| Parliament

|300

|

|-

| {{flag|Guatemala}}

| Congress

|160

|

|-

| {{flag|Guinea}}

| National Assembly

|81

|

|-

| {{flag|Guinea-Bissau}}

| National People's Assembly

|102

|

|-

| {{flag|Guyana}}

| National Assembly

|65

|

|-

| {{flag|Honduras}}

| National Congress

|128

|

|-

| {{flag|Hungary}}

| National Assembly

|199

|

|-

| {{flag|Iceland}}

| Althing

|63

|

|-

| {{flag|Iran}}

| Islamic Consultative Assembly

|290

|

|-

| {{flag|Israel}}

| Knesset

|120

|

|-

| {{flag|Kiribati}}

| House of Assembly

|45

|

|-

| {{flag|North Korea}}

| Supreme People's Assembly

|687

|

|-

| {{flag|South Korea}}

| National Assembly

|300

|

|-

| {{flag|Kuwait}}

| National Assembly

|65

|

|-

| {{flag|Kyrgyzstan}}

| Supreme Council

|90

|

|-

| {{flag|Laos}}

| National Assembly

|164

|

|-

| {{flag|Latvia}}

| Saeima

|100

|

|-

| {{flag|Lebanon}}

| Parliament

|128

|

|-

| {{flag|Libya}}

| House of Representatives

|200

|

|-

| {{flag|Liechtenstein}}

| Landtag

|25

|

|-

| {{flag|Lithuania}}

| Seimas

|141

|

|-

| {{flag|Luxembourg}}

| Chamber of Deputies

|60

|

|-

| {{flag|Malawi}}

| National Assembly

|193

|

|-

| {{flag|Maldives}}

| Majlis

|93

|

|-

| {{flag|Mali}}

| National Assembly

|147

|

|-

| {{flag|Malta}}

| Parliament

|79

|

|-

| {{flag|Marshall Islands}}

| Legislature

|33

|

|-

| {{flag|Mauritania}}

| Parliament

|176

|

|-

| {{flag|Mauritius}}

| National Assembly

|70

|

|-

| {{flag|Moldova}}

| Parliament

|101

|

|-

| {{flag|Monaco}}

| National Council

|24

|

|-

| {{flag|Mongolia}}

| State Great Khural

|126

|

|-

| {{flag|Montenegro}}

| Parliament

|81

|

|-

| {{flag|Mozambique}}

| Assembly of the Republic

|250

|

|-

| {{flag|Nauru}}

| Parliament

|19

|

|-

| {{flag|New Zealand}}

| Parliament

|120

|

|-

| {{flag|Nicaragua}}

| National Assembly

|90

|

|-

| {{flag|Niger}}

| National Assembly

|171

|

|-

| {{flag|North Macedonia}}

| Assembly

|120

|

|-

| {{flag|Norway}}

| Storting

|169

|

|-

| {{flag|State of Palestine}}

| Legislative Council

|132

|

|-

| {{flag|Panama}}

| National Assembly

|71

|

|-

| {{flag|Papua New Guinea}}

| National Parliament

|118

|

|-

| {{flag|Peru}}

| Congress of the Republic

|130

| The composition of the Congress of Peru in 2026, will return to being a bicameral legislature with a 60-seat Senate and 130-seat Chamber of Deputies.

|-

| {{flag|Portugal}}

| Assembly of the Republic

|230

|

|-

| {{flag|Qatar}}

| Consultative Assembly

|45

|

|-

| {{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}

| House of Assembly

|21

|

|-

| {{flag|Samoa}}

| Legislative Assembly

|53

|

|-

| {{flag| Saudi Arabia}}

| Consultative Assembly

|150

|Purely advisory, powers reside in the King

|-

| {{flag|San Marino}}

| Grand and General Council

|60

|

|-

| {{flag|São Tomé and Príncipe}}

| National Assembly

|55

|

|-

| {{flag|Senegal}}

| National Assembly

|165

|

|-

| {{flag|Serbia}}

| National Assembly

|250

|

|-

| {{flag|Seychelles}}

| National Assembly

|35

|

|-

| {{flag|Sierra Leone}}

| Parliament

|149

|

|-

| {{flag|Singapore}}

| Parliament

|104

|

|-

| {{flag|Slovakia}}

| National Council

|150

|

|-

| {{flag|Solomon Islands}}

| National Parliament

|50

|

|-

| {{flag|Sri Lanka}}

| Parliament

|225

|

|-

| {{flag|Suriname}}

| National Assembly

|51

|

|-

| {{flag|Sweden}}

| Riksdag

|349

|

|-

| {{flag|Syria}}

| People's Assembly

|250

|

|-

| {{flag|Tanzania}}

| National Assembly

|393

|

|-

| {{flag|Togo}}

| National Assembly

|113

|

|-

| {{flag|Tonga}}

| Legislative Assembly

|26

|

|-

| {{flag|Tunisia}}

| National Assembly

|161

|

|-

| {{flag|Turkey}}

| Grand National Assembly

|600

|

|-

| {{flag|Turkmenistan}}

| Assembly

|125

|

|-

| {{flag|Tuvalu}}

| Parliament

|16

|

|-

| {{flag|Uganda}}

| Parliament

|557

|

|-

| {{flag|Ukraine}}

| Verkhovna Rada

|450

|

|-

| {{flag|Vanuatu}}

| Parliament

|52

|

|-

| {{flag|Vatican City}}

| Pontifical Commission

|8

|All powers delegated by the sovereign

|-

| {{flag|Vietnam}}

| National Assembly

|500

|

|-

| {{flag|Zambia}}

| National Assembly

|167

|

|}

=Territorial=

{|class="wikitable sortable"

! Country

! Unicameral body

! Seats

! Notes

|-

| {{flag|Åland Islands}}

| Parliament

|30

|

|-

| {{flag|Anguilla}}

| House of Assembly

|13

|

|-

| {{flag|Aruba}}

| Parliament

|21

|

|-

| {{flag|Azores}}

| Legislative Assembly

|57

|

|-

| {{flag|British Virgin Islands}}

| House of Assembly

|30

|

|-

| {{flag|Cayman Islands}}

| Legislative Assembly

|21

|

|-

| {{flag|Cook Islands}}

| Parliament

|24

|

|-

| {{flag|Curaçao}}

| Parliament

|21

|

|-

| {{flag|Falkland Islands}}

| Legislative Assembly

|11

|

|-

| {{flag|Faroe Islands}}

| Løgting

|33

|

|-

| {{flag|French Polynesia}}

| Assembly

|57

|

|-

| {{flag|Gibraltar}}

| Parliament

|17

|

|-

| {{flag|Greenland}}

| Inatsisartut

|31

|

|-

| {{flag|Guam}}

| Legislature

|15

| Unincorporated territory of the United States

|-

| {{flag|Guernsey}}

| States

|40

|

|-

| {{flag|Hong Kong}}

| Legislative Council

|90

|

|-

| {{flag|Jersey}}

| States Assembly

|54

|

|-

| {{flag|Madeira}}

| Legislative Assembly

|47

|

|-

| {{flag|Macao}}

| Legislative Assembly

|33

|

|-

| {{flag|Montserrat}}

| Legislative Assembly

|11

|

|-

| {{flag|New Caledonia}}

| Congress

|54

|

|-

| {{flag|Niue}}

| Assembly

|20

|

|-

| {{flag|Pitcairn Islands}}

| Island Council

|10

|

|-

| {{flag|Saint Barthélemy}}

| Territorial Council

|19

|

|-

| {{flag|Saint Helena}}

| Legislative Council

|15

|

|-

| {{flag|Saint Martin}}

| Collectivity of Saint Martin

|23

|

|-

| {{flag|Saint Pierre and Miquelon}}

| Territorial Council

|19

|

|-

| {{flag|Sint Maarten}}

| Parliament

|15

|

|-

| {{flag|Tobago}}

| House of Assembly

|15

|

|-

| {{flag|Tokelau}}

| General Fono

|20

|

|-

| {{flag|Turks and Caicos Islands}}

| House of Assembly

|21

|

|-

| {{flag|U.S. Virgin Islands}}

| Legislature

|15

|

|-

| {{flag|Wallis and Futuna}}

| Territorial Assembly

|20

|

|}

=State parliaments with limited recognition=

{|class="wikitable sortable"

! Country

! Unicameral body

! Seats

! Notes

|-

| {{flag|Abkhazia}}

| People's Assembly

|35

|

|-

| {{flag|Kosovo}}

| Assembly

|120

|

|-

| {{flag|Northern Cyprus}}

| Assembly of the Republic

|50

|

|-

| {{flag|Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic}}

| National Council

|51

|

|-

| {{flag|South Ossetia}}

| Parliament

|34

|

|-

| {{flag|Taiwan}}

| Legislative Yuan

|113

|The original constitution is partially superseded by the additional articles only on Taiwan which replaced the tricameral parliament into a unicameral one. A sunset clause in the additional articles will terminate them in the event of a hypothetical resumption of ROC rule in Mainland China.

|-

| {{flag|Transnistria}}

| Supreme Council

|33

|

|}

=Subnational=

==Federations==

File:Legislaturas provinciales de Argentina.png]]

==Devolved governments==

==Others==

List of historical unicameral legislatures

=National=

=Subnational=

=Other=

Unicameralism in the Philippines

Though the current Congress of the Philippines is bicameral, the country experienced unicameralism in 1898 and 1899 (during the First Philippine Republic), from 1935 to 1941 (the Commonwealth era) and from 1943 to 1944 (during the Japanese occupation). Under the 1973 Constitution, the legislative body was called Batasang Pambansa, which functioned also a unicameral legislature within a parliamentary system (1973–1981) and a semi-presidential system (1981–1986) form of government.

The ongoing process of amending or revising the current Constitution and form of government is popularly known as Charter Change. A shift to a unicameral parliament was included in the proposals of the constitutional commission created by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.{{cite web |url=http://www.concom.ph/proposals/ |title= Proposals and Recommendations |publisher=Consultative Commission |access-date=2013-11-26 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926232047/http://www.concom.ph/proposals/ |archive-date= Sep 26, 2007 }} Unlike in the United States, senators in the Senate of the Philippines are elected not per district and state but nationally; the Philippines is a unitary state.{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/a6.asp |title= The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines |website=gov.ph |access-date=2013-11-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225020806/http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/a6.asp |archive-date=February 25, 2008}} The Philippine government's decision-making process, relative to the United States, is more rigid, highly centralised, much slower and susceptible to political gridlock. As a result, the trend for unicameralism as well as other political system reforms are more contentious in the Philippines.{{cite web |url=http://www.concom.ph/news/oct192005whychange.php |title=Why change our Presidential Government to a Parliamentary Government |first1=Jose V. |last1=Abueva |date=Oct 19, 2005 |publisher=Consultative Commission |access-date=2013-11-26 |archive-date=2006-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818155246/http://www.concom.ph/news/oct192005whychange.php |url-status=dead}}

While Congress is bicameral, all local legislatures are unicameral: the Bangsamoro Parliament, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Boards), Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Councils), Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Councils), Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Councils), and the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Councils).

Unicameralism in the United States

Three U.S. states and territories have a unicameral legislature: the state of Nebraska, and the territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands.

The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the supreme legislative body of the state of Nebraska and the only unicameral state legislature in the United States. Its members are called "senators", as it was originally the upper house of a bicameral legislature before the Nebraska House of Representatives dissolved in 1937. The legislature is also notable for being nonpartisan and officially recognizes no party affiliation, making Nebraska unique among US states. With 49 members, it is also the smallest legislature of any US state.

A 2018 study found that efforts to adopt unicameralism in Ohio and Missouri failed due to rural opposition.{{cite journal |last=Myers |first=Adam S. |date=2018 |title=The Failed Diffusion of the Unicameral State Legislature, 1934–1944 |journal=Studies in American Political Development |language=en |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=217–235 |doi=10.1017/S0898588X18000135 |s2cid=150363451 |issn=0898-588X}} There was a fear in rural communities that unicameralism would diminish their influence in state government.

Local government legislatures of counties, cities, or other political subdivisions within states are usually unicameral and have limited lawmaking powers compared to their state and federal counterparts.

Some of the 13 colonies which became independent, such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New Hampshire had initially introduced strong unicameral legislature and (relatively) less powerful governors with no veto power. Pennsylvania's constitution lasted only 14 years. In 1790, conservatives gained power in the state legislature, called a new constitutional convention, and rewrote the constitution. The new constitution substantially reduced universal male suffrage, gave the governor veto power and patronage appointment authority, and added an upper house with substantial wealth qualifications to the unicameral legislature. Thomas Paine called it a constitution unworthy of America.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

In 1944, Missouri held a vote on changing the General Assembly to a unicameral one, which was narrowly rejected by the voters 52.42-47.58. Only the city of St. Louis and the St. Louis County voted in favor, whilst Jackson County (containing the bulk of Kansas City) narrowly voted against, and all other counties voted against the change to unicameralism.{{Cite web |title=Missouri Unicameral Legislature, Issue 2 (1944) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Missouri_Unicameral_Legislature,_Issue_2_(1944) |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=1944 Referendum General Election Results - Missouri |url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=29&year=1944&f=0&off=51&elect=0}}

In 1970, North Dakota voters voted to call a constitutional convention. In 1972, a change to a unicameral legislature was approved by 69.36-30.64,{{Cite web |title=North Dakota Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature, Alternate Proposition 1 (1972) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/North_Dakota_Unicameral_or_Bicameral_Legislature,_Alternate_Proposition_1_(1972) |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}} however, since the voters rejected the new constitution at the same referendum, it never took effect.{{Cite web |title=North Dakota Constitution, Main Proposition (1972) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/North_Dakota_Constitution,_Main_Proposition_(1972) |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}

In 1999, Governor Jesse Ventura proposed converting the Minnesota Legislature into a single chamber.{{cite web |url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199904/29_kastem_uni/ |title=One People – One House |publisher=News.minnesota.publicradio.org |date=1999-04-29 |access-date=2013-11-26}} Although debated, the idea was never adopted.

The US territory of Puerto Rico held a non-binding referendum in 2005. Voters approved changing its Legislative Assembly to a unicameral body by 456,267 votes in favor (83.7%) versus 88,720 against (16.3%).{{cite web |title=Referéndum sobre el Sistema Cameral |date=2005-07-10 |url=http://168.62.166.179/referendum2005/ |publisher=Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico}} If both the territory's House of Representatives and Senate had approved by a {{frac|2|3}} vote the specific amendments to the Puerto Rico Constitution that are required for the change to a unicameral legislature, another referendum would have been held in the territory to approve such amendments. If those constitutional changes had been approved, Puerto Rico could have switched to a unicameral legislature as early as 2015.

On June 9, 2009, the Maine House of Representatives voted to form a unicameral legislature, but the measure did not pass the Senate.{{cite web |url=https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/billpdfs/HP100001.pdf |title=RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Establish a Unicameral Legislature |access-date=2013-11-26}}

Because of legislative gridlock in 2009, former Congressman Rick Lazio, a prospective candidate for governor, has proposed that New York adopt unicameralism.[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/opinion/14lazio.html One for All], Rick Lazio, New York Times, July 14, 2009

The United States as a whole was subject to a unicameral Congress during the years 1781–1788, when the Articles of Confederation were in effect. The Confederate States of America, pursuant to its Provisional Constitution, in effect from February 8, 1861, to February 22, 1862, was governed by a unicameral Congress.{{cite web |url=https://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/csa_csapro.asp |title=Avalon Project - Confederate States of America - Constitution for the Provisional Government |website=avalon.law.yale.edu}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

{{National unicameral legislatures}}

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