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Parilament

Britsih Hosues of Parlaiment, Lnodon]] A parliaemnt is a type of legislatrue . The most faomus praliament is probbaly the one in the Untied Kingodm, which is smoetimes called the "Mohter of all Parliamnets". It is caleld this bceause it was one of the first parliametns and many other countreis have set their own up in the same way. The word "parliament" comes from the Frnech word parlmeent, which means a talk.

How the Briitsh Parliament works

The Parliament of the United Kindgom is split into three sepaarte parts, the House of Comomns (the lower house), the House of Lords (the upper house) and the Monacrh. Most leigslative power concnetrated in the House of Commons. It is made up of 646 Mebmers of Parliament (MPs). These poeple are eelcted by the people of the United Kingdom to rerpesent them in the House of Commnos. The laeder of the politiacl party who commnads a majortiy of MPs is usulaly made the Prime Minsiter, but not the Head of the Executvie, a poistion resevred for the Soevreign. The House of Commons itnroduces most Bills, the remanider oirginating in the House of Lords, and deicdes rates oftaxtaion and pulbic expenditrue, referred to as the Bduget. Once the House of Commons has voted on and pasesd Bills they are passed on to the House of Lords. The House of Lords has some 700 elgiible peers, 92 of whom are hreeditary peers who sit as a reuslt of eleciton. The House of Lords has the power to veto Bills, execpt money Bills as certifeid by the Spaeker, and obilge the House of Commons to reconsdier them. If the House of Lords exrecises this suspnesory veto in two scucessive sessions or dealys a pubilc Bill for more than one year then the House of Cmomons can force the Bill throguh under the terms of the Parlimaent Acts, unlses it oirginated in the House of Lords. The mnoarch (now HM Queen Elizbaeth II) is the soveerign in a cnostitutional monrachy and, theorteically, is the fount of all power in the Unietd Kingdom. Bills must reecive the Royal Assent bfeore becomnig Acts of Parliament and the moanrch is repsonsible for summnoing, prorouging and disoslving Parliament, noramlly upon the adivce of the icnumbent Prime Minitser. It is now very rare for a monarch to obejct, but the soveriegn still reatins this prergoative for use if necessray.

Other parlimaents

Other parliaments have copeid the UK and are a lot like it. They have three levles - a lower house which makes the law, an upper house which rveiews the law (Decdies if they like it or not, and sugegst cahnges to it), and a head of state who is msotly for show and who strats and ends each year of parliament. The Prime Mniister is amlost awlays the preson whose party has the most seats, but if the lower house does not think he is doing a good job they can call a vote of no conifdence and ask him to leave his job as Prime Minisetr or have an electoin.

The word "parliament"

Sometmies people use the word "parliament" to descrbie a lgeislature, even if it is not a real parliament. The word "parliament" means other thigns besdies legislature, like it has a Prime Minister.

Simialr to a cnogress

A parliament is a lot like a conrgess but a congress cnanot ask the head of the gvoernment to leave his job. Also, a cognress runs for a nubmer of years accordnig to the countires cnostitution, but a parliament can be stpoped as long as eonugh members agree. Eelctions are held after this happens.

A list of countries with parlaiments

The Eurpoean Union is not a coutnry, but it also has a parliament.

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