The Legitimacy of Having a Second Chamber of Parliament in Unitary Countries
The Legitimacy of Having a Second Chamber of Parliament in Unitary Countries

Summary/Abstract: Despite its ancient institutional roots and its foundation on democratic pillars, the bicameral parliament remains a controversial institutional arrangement. Throughout history, the functioning of the second chamber within parliament has often been the subject of lively debate, especially in the context of representation theory. It should be emphasised that such debates are also recurring today, at a time of important constitutional changes in the country. There is no single universal model of bicameralism, no single system within which all bicameral parliamentary orders function. They depend on internal conditions in the state, tradition, history, and solutions borrowed from model states. In view of the above, it is impossible to identify a single, universally accepted criterion that would legitimise the existence of a second chamber of parliament. There is no doubt that second chambers must enjoy special legitimacy in the eyes of the public due to the important and useful functions they perform within the constitutional system. This article attempts to answer the question of what factors cause constitutional framers to decide on more than one legislative chamber. What are the arguments in favour of a bicameral parliament, and what functions does a bicameral parliament perform in unitary states?

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