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Lower_house

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5 views2 pages

Lower_house

Uploaded by

Kira Koorsen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lower house

A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper
house.[1] Although seen as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has
come to wield more power or otherwise exert significant political influence.

Common attributes
In comparison with the upper house, lower houses frequently display certain characteristics (though they
vary by jurisdiction).

Powers
In a parliamentary system, the lower house:

In the modern era, has much more power, usually due to restrictions on the upper house.
Exceptions to this are Australia, Italy, and Romania, where the upper and lower houses
have similar power.
Is able to override the upper house in some ways.
Can vote a motion of no confidence against the government, as well as vote for or against
any proposed candidate for head of government at the beginning of the parliamentary term.
In a presidential system, the lower house:

Generally has less power than the upper house, but maintains exclusive powers in some
areas.
Has the sole power to impeach the executive; the upper house then tries the impeachment.
Typically initiates legislation on appropriation and supply.

Status
The lower house:

Can, in a parliamentary system, be dissolved by the executive.


Has total or initial control over budget, supply, and monetary laws.
Has a lower age of candidacy than the upper house.
Is more numerous than the upper house.
The Parliament of the United Kingdom furnishes a notable exception.
Members of the lower house:

Are elected directly, while those of the upper house may hold their positions through direct
or indirect election, appointment, or inheritance.
Are elected more frequently, and all at once, not by staggered terms.
Are usually numbered in proportion to the population of their administrative divisions, unlike
in the upper house.
The government of the day is usually required to present its budget to the lower house, which must
approve the budget. It is a widespread practice for revenue (appropriation) bills to originate in the lower
house. A notable exception to this is the West Virginia House of Delegates in the United States, which
allows revenue bills to originate from either house.[2]

Titles of lower houses


Many lower houses are named in manners such as follows:

Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Representatives
House of Assembly
House of Commons
House of Delegates
House of the People (including Lok Sabha)
House of Representatives
Legislative Assembly
National Assembly
National Council
Sejm/Seimas

See also
Representative democracy

References
1. Tsebelis, George (1997). Bicameralism.
2. "West Virginia Constitution" (http://www.wvlegislature.gov/WVCODE/WV_CON.cfm). West
Virginia Legislature. Retrieved 22 February 2021.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lower_house&oldid=1270634625"

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