Legislatures Chambers of Representation? February 7 th, 2006

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

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

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

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)

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

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?

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

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