European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
national parliaments
Policing in national parliaments: How parliaments organise their security
National parliaments organise their security in a variety of ways. Whereas in some cases the principles of separation of powers or of parliamentary autonomy prevent police forces from entering parliamentary premises − meaning that these legislative chambers rely on in-house security services – in others the security of parliaments is ensured exclusively by the police or other state forces with responsibilities in the area of security, defence or civil protection. Continue reading
Better Regulation practices in national parliaments
Ex-ante impact assessment and ex-post evaluation are regulatory policy tools that help inform the policy-making process with evidence-based analysis. Both tools are geared towards raising the quality of policies and legislation. Continue reading
The incoming US Congress’s powers to overturn regulations of the previous administration
Written by Micaela Del Monte, During the election campaign, President-elect Donald Trump stated his intention to repeal or amend regulations issued by the Obama administration. Following the 2016 elections in the USA, as well as the White House the Republicans will hold the majority in both chambers of the 115th Congress. It is thus likely … Continue reading
Supporting Ukraine between crisis and transformation – Ukraine Week in the European Parliament
Written by Naja Bentzen, When Ukraine’s then President Viktor Yanukovich caved in to Russian pressure and refused to sign the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in 2013, he triggered the ‘revolution of dignity’, that paved the way for his own ousting on 22 February 2014 and sparked hope for a European future. Today — two years after … Continue reading
Israel’s politics in the run-up to the elections
Written by Joanna Apap In December 2014, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called early national elections, scheduled for 17 March 2015, after dissolving the coalition arrangement underpinning the government formed after the January 2013 elections. Differences on Palestinian issues and budgetary matters, between Netanyahu, of the right-wing Likud party, and centrist parties in his coalition, reportedly contributed to the … Continue reading
Conference on ‘Federalism in Canada’ by Ms Sonia L’Heureux, Librarian of the Parliament of Canada
Wednesday 21 January at 18.00 Altiero Spinelli Building – EPRS Library Reading Room (ASP 05D) ‘Federalism has all along been a product of reason in politics … it is an attempt to find a rational compromise between the divergent interest-groups which history has thrown together; but it is a compromise based on the will of … Continue reading
India: the biggest democracy in the world
Written by Enrico D’Ambrogio With 1 267 million inhabitants, of which 834 million can vote, India is the largest democracy in the world. Despite India’s linguistic and religious diversity, the 2014 general elections have given the newly elected Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, a strong mandate. Since coming into office, Modi has reinforced his focus on the … Continue reading
Trade Promotion Authority – TPA (Fast Track)
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) is an authority on trade agreements that Congress can grant to the President. This way implementing bills can be treated under a faster legislative procedure. TPA defines how Congress exercises its constitutional authority over a particular aspect of trade policy. At the same time it gives the President more leverage to … Continue reading
EU subsidiarity check by National Parliaments
The position of national parliaments in the EU was strengthened in various ways by the Lisbon Treaty in order to enhance democratic legitimacy. Protocol 2 of the Lisbon Treaty introduced a mechanism of subsidiarity scrutiny by national parliaments on draft EU legislation. The so called early warning system including the yellow and orange card procedures give them a … Continue reading
Parliamentary research and the plurality of information sources available to MPs
Parliamentary research and information services (PRIS) come with very different backgrounds, traditions, budgets and sizes. In terms of providing information and research to Members, all face substantial competition from other suppliers of information such as interest groups, civil society organisations, “think tanks” and the executive branch itself. In order to maintain and strengthen their role … Continue reading
Relocation of parliaments
Rules on parliaments’ seats Parliaments’ seats are not usually regulated at constitutional level. One of the few exceptions is the establishment by the Austrian Federal Constitution of the federal capital and seat of the highest federal authorities in Vienna. Parliamentary seats are often established by the rules of procedure adopted by the same parliament (e.g. … Continue reading
Bicameral traits at EU level
A bicameral structure for the European Union has been proposed on numerous occasions. A frequent suggestion, and one designed to address the EU’s alleged democratic deficit, is for a second chamber composed of national parliamentarians alongside the European Parliament. However, it is also argued that the EU already has a second chamber, the Council of … Continue reading
“Undemocratic” elections in Belarus
6 language versions available “Undemokratische” Wahl in Belarus Elecciones “antidemocráticas” en Bielorrusia Élections “non démocratiques” en Biélorussie Elezioni “non democratiche” in Bielorussia “Niedemokratyczne” wybory na Białorusi A breakthrough in the frozen EU-Belarus relations had been considered possible in advance of parliamentary elections in Belarus on 23 September 2012. But after the event, commentators noted that … Continue reading
Georgia: after the elections
6 language versions available Georgien: nach den Wahlen Georgia: después de las elecciones Géorgie: après les élections Georgia: all’indomani delle elezioni Gruzja: Po wyborach Due to the results of the 1 October 2012 parliamentary elections, Georgia has entered a new era. The opposition party Georgian Dream, led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, won the elections with a clear … Continue reading
Women in Parliament, a historical view
Even in those parts of the world in which women’s quest for equality has been most successful, it took a long time before they began to hold any political positions. The first countries to accept women’s suffrage – generally defined as the combination of the right to vote and the right to run for office, … Continue reading
IPEX: A Platform for Inter-parliamentary Cooperation
Ipex is a platform for inter-parliamentary information exchange in EU affairs between and among national parliaments and the European Parliament. It involves both EU Member States and candidate countries. First and foremost it is a tool for national parliaments to exercise scrutiny over EU affairs, in relation to the principle of subsidiarity. Besides that, it … Continue reading
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