Upper house: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 16:41, 8 March 2025

The Upper House is one of the two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other being the Lower House. The Upper House is typically seen as the senior or more prestigious chamber, often with different powers and responsibilities compared to the Lower House.

Functions[edit]

The primary functions of the Upper House include:

Reviewing and amending legislation proposed by the Lower House.
Providing a check on the power of the Lower House and the executive branch.
Representing different interests, such as regional or state interests, in a federal system.

Composition[edit]

The composition of the Upper House varies by country. Members may be elected, appointed, or hold their position by virtue of heredity or other criteria. For example, in the United States, the Upper House is the Senate, where each state is represented by two senators regardless of population.

Powers[edit]

The powers of the Upper House can include:

Approving or rejecting legislation passed by the Lower House.
Conducting impeachment trials.
Approving appointments made by the executive, such as judges or cabinet members.

Examples[edit]

Some examples of Upper Houses around the world include:

The United States Senate
The House of Lords in the United Kingdom
The Bundesrat in Germany

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[file:L'hémicycle_du_Sénat_français_en_septembre_2009.jpg|thumb|L'hémicycle du Sénat français en septembre 2009]] [[file:Palazzo-madama-senato.jpg|thumb|Palazzo-madama-senato|left]] [[file:House_of_Lords_Chamber.png|thumb| House of Lords Chamber]] [[file:New_Rajya_Sabha_chamber_in_the_New_Parliament_building.jpg|thumb|New Rajya Sabha chamber in the New Parliament building|left]] '''Upper house'''
+[[File:L'hémicycle du Sénat français en septembre 2009.jpg|L'hémicycle du Sénat français en septembre 2009|thumb]]
+The '''Upper House''' is one of the two chambers of a [[bicameral legislature]], the other being the [[Lower House]]. The Upper House is typically seen as the senior or more prestigious chamber, often with different powers and responsibilities compared to the Lower House.
-An '''upper house''', often referred to as a '''senate''', is one of the two chambers of a [[bicameral legislature]], the other being the [[lower house]]. The upper house typically has different powers and responsibilities compared to the lower house, and its members are often selected through different methods.
+== Functions ==
+The primary functions of the Upper House include:
-== Functions and Powers ==
+* Reviewing and amending legislation proposed by the Lower House.
-The primary functions of an upper house can vary significantly between different countries and political systems. Common functions include:
+* Providing a check on the power of the Lower House and the [[executive branch]].
+* Representing different interests, such as regional or state interests, in a [[federal system]].
-* Reviewing and amending legislation proposed by the lower house.
+== Composition ==
-* Representing different regions or states within a country.
+The composition of the Upper House varies by country. Members may be elected, appointed, or hold their position by virtue of heredity or other criteria. For example, in the [[United States]], the Upper House is the [[Senate]], where each state is represented by two senators regardless of population.
-* Providing a check and balance on the powers of the lower house.
-* Conducting investigations and inquiries into specific issues.
-In some political systems, the upper house has the power to veto or delay legislation, while in others, its role is more advisory.
+== Powers ==
+The powers of the Upper House can include:
-== Membership ==
+* Approving or rejecting legislation passed by the Lower House.
-The method of selecting members of the upper house can vary widely. Common methods include:
+* Conducting [[impeachment]] trials.
+* Approving appointments made by the executive, such as judges or cabinet members.
-* Direct election by the public.
+== Examples ==
-* Appointment by the head of state or government.
+Some examples of Upper Houses around the world include:
-* Election by members of the lower house.
-* Hereditary positions, as seen in some traditional monarchies.
-The term lengths for members of the upper house also vary, with some serving fixed terms and others serving for life.
+* The [[United States Senate]]
+* The [[House of Lords]] in the [[United Kingdom]]
+* The [[Bundesrat]] in [[Germany]]
-== Examples of Upper Houses ==
+== See also ==
-* The [[United States Senate]] is the upper house of the [[United States Congress]].
-* The [[House of Lords]] is the upper house of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]].
-* The [[Senate of Canada]] is the upper house of the [[Parliament of Canada]].
-* The [[Bundesrat (Germany)|Bundesrat]] is the upper house of the [[Parliament of Germany]].
-== Comparison with Lower House ==
-The upper house often differs from the lower house in several key ways:
-* '''Representation''': The upper house may represent regions, states, or other entities, while the lower house typically represents the population at large.
-* '''Powers''': The upper house may have different legislative powers, such as the ability to review or veto legislation.
-* '''Membership''': The method of selecting members and their term lengths can differ significantly between the two houses.
-== Related Pages ==
 * [[Bicameralism]]
-* [[Lower house]]
 * [[Legislature]]
 * [[Parliament]]
-* [[Senate]]
-* [[House of Lords]]
-* [[United States Senate]]
-* [[Bundesrat (Germany)]]
-== Categories ==
+[[Category:Legislative bodies]]
-[[Category:Legislatures]]
 [[Category:Government]]
-[[Category:Political systems]]
+[[Category:Politics]]
-{{Legislature-stub}}