Legislature
Legislature is a word that comes from the Latin language, meaning "those who write the laws." A legislature is therefore a group of people who vote for new laws, for example in a state or country.
Each person in the legislature is usually either elected or appointed. The constitution of that state or country usually tells how a legislature is supposed to work.
In many countries, the legislature is called a Parliament, Congress, or National Assembly. Sometimes there are two groups of members in the legislature. This is called a "bicameral" legislature. A unicameral legislature has only one group of members.
A country, district, city, or other small area may also have something like a legislature. These are often called councils, and they make smaller laws for their areas.
List of titles of legislatures
National
- Parliament
- Congress
- Diet
- National Assembly
- Althing — Iceland
- Assembleia da República — Portugal
- Bundestag — Germany
- Riksdag — Sweden
- Cortes Generales — Spain
- Eduskunta — Finland
- Federal Assembly — Russia, Switzerland
- Folketing — Denmark
- Stortinget — Norway
- Knesset — Israel
- Assembly of Albania — Albania
- Legislative Yuan — Republic of China/Taiwan
- Islamic Consultative Assembly — Iran
Sub-National
- List of state legislatures of the United States — United States
- General Assembly / Assembly
- Great and General Court / General Court
- House of Delegates
- Landtag — Germany, Austria
- Canada
- Legislative Assembly — All provinces and territories except:
- National Assembly — Quebec
- House of Assembly — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador
- Australia
- Legislative Assembly - All States and Territories except:
- House of Assembly - South Australia and Tasmania
- Legislative Council - All States except Queensland
- United Kingdom
