The Info List - Lower House

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A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.[1] Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power. The lower house typically is the more numerous of the two chambers. A legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.


1 Common attributes 2 Titles of lower houses

2.1 Common names 2.2 Unique Names

3 See also 4 References

Common attributes[edit] In comparison with the upper house, lower houses frequently display certain characteristics.


In a parliamentary system, the lower house:

In the modern era, has much more power, usually based on restrictions against the upper house. Able to override the upper house in some ways. Can vote a motion of no confidence against the government. Exceptions are Australia, where the Senate
has considerable power approximate to that of the House of Representatives, and Italy, where the Senate
has exactly the same powers as the Chamber of Deputies.

In a presidential system, the lower house:

Debatably somewhat less, the lower house also has exclusive powers in some areas. Given the sole power to impeach the executive (the upper house then tries the impeachment). Frequently, bills to raise revenue and to appropriate funds must originate in the lower house.

Status of lower house

Always elected directly, while the upper house may be elected directly, indirectly, or not elected at all. Its members may be elected with a different voting system to the upper house. Most populated administrative divisions are better represented than in the upper house; representation is usually proportional to population. Elected more frequently. Elected all at once, not by staggered terms. In a parliamentary system, can be dissolved by the executive. More members. Has total or original control over budget and monetary laws. Lower age of candidacy than the upper house.

Titles of lower houses[edit] Common names[edit]

Dáil Éireann, Republic of Ireland


Chamber of Deputies Chamber of Representatives House of Assembly House of Representatives House of Commons House of Delegates Legislative Assembly National Assembly

Unique Names[edit]

Government Lower House Unique Name Meaning

Austria Nationalrat National Council

Germany Bundestag Federal Diet

Greece Βουλή των Ελλήνων Council of the Hellenes

India Lok Sabha House of the People

Indonesia Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat People's Representative Council

Ireland Dáil Éireann Assembly of Ireland

Isle of Man House of Keys

Italy Camera dei Deputati Chamber of Deputies

Kazakhstan Mazhilis Assembly

Malaysia Dewan Rakyat People's Hall

Myanmar Pyithu Hluttaw [2] House of Representatives

Netherlands Tweede Kamer Second Chamber

Poland Sejm

Russia State Duma

Spain Congreso de los Diputados Congress
of Deputies

See also[edit]

Representative democracy


^ Bicameralism
(1997) by George Tsebelis. ^ "http://www.pyithuhluttaw.gov.mm/". www.pyithuhluttaw.gov.mm. Retrieved 2016-03-02.  External link in title= (help)

v t e

Lower houses of national legislatures


Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Canada Ethiopia Germany India Malaysia Mexico Nepal Nigeria Pakistan Russia Somalia South Sudan Sudan Switzerland United States


Afghanistan Algeria Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Bahrain Barbados Belarus Belize Bhutan Bolivia Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Central African Republic Chile Colombia Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Czech Republic Dominican Republic Equatorial Guinea France Gabon Grenada Haiti Indonesia Ireland Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Lesotho Liberia Madagascar Mauritania Morocco Myanmar Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Oman Palau Paraguay Philippines Poland Romania Rwanda Saint Lucia Slovenia South Africa Spain Swaziland Tajikistan Trinidad and Tobago United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan Zimbabwe

Dependent and other territories

American Samoa Bermuda Isle of Man Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico

Non-UN states



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