Senate of Skaolitunia: Difference between revisions
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=== Vacancies === | === Vacancies === | ||
== Officers == | == Officers == | ||
[[Category:Skaolitunia]] |
Latest revision as of 15:02, 18 February 2021
The Skaolitunian Senate, formally the Senate of the Commonwealth of Skaolitunia, is the upper house of the Parliament of Skaolitunia. While government is formed in the House of Commons, the Senate plays an important role in scrutinizing legislation, and all bills must pass through the Senate to become law. Although legislation can be introduced into either chamber (barring appropriations), most legislation is tabled first in the House of Commons. The Constitution of Skaolitunia allocates each of its original provinces equal membership, but provides for the Parliament itself to decide how many Senators those states have, as well as the provisions for new provinces. Currently each of the remaining individual provinces receives 12 senators, while there are six for the territories and two for the Federal District (which is not a state). The Senate has 146 members, all of which are directly elected for a six-year term. Senate terms begin on 1 January.
Until 2005, each state was responsible for the method in which its senators were elected. This created significant problems, as some states used proportional representation and others did not, meaning the numbers in the senate could be vastly different to those in the National Assembly. Following constitutional reforms, all Senators are now elected via the Single Alternative Vote method, in which candidates or group tickets are ranked by voters, and preferences used to determine quotas.
All Senators serve a term of six years, beginning on January 1. Each state elects one-half of its Senators every three years; usually, but not always, in conjunction with a general election. Prior to 2004, Senators served eight-year terms. The cycle of elections between the National Assembly and Senate has been disrupted several times, and elections for one house only have not been uncommon.
On rare occasions (the last in 2007), both Houses can be dissolved (a double dissolution) and all Senate seats are up for election.
The Senate draws many of its traditions and functions from the British House of Lords, though it is an entirely elected body. Following the Westminster system of government, the Senate does not determine the government - to govern, a party or coalition must control the National Assembly but need not control the Senate. Furthermore, while the two houses have theoretically equal power, appropriation bills may not originate in the Senate and it has no power to reject them, though it may delay them or amend them.