Legislature

Legislature is a word that comes from the Latin language, meaning "those who write the laws." A legislature is therefore a group of people who vote for new laws, for example in a state or country.

Each person in the legislature is usually either elected or appointed. The constitution of that state or country usually tells how a legislature is supposed to work.

In many countries, the legislature is called a Parliament, Congress, or National Assembly. Sometimes there are two groups of members in the legislature. This is called a "bicameral" legislature. A unicameral legislature has only one group of members.

A country, district, city, or other small area may also have something like a legislature. These are often called councils, and they make smaller laws for their areas.

List of titles of legislatures

National

Parliament
Congress
Diet
National Assembly
Althing — Iceland
Assembleia da República — Portugal
Bundestag — Germany
Riksdag — Sweden
Cortes Generales — Spain
Eduskunta — Finland
Federal Assembly — Russia, Switzerland
Folketing — Denmark
Stortinget — Norway
Knesset — Israel
Assembly of Albania — Albania
Legislative Yuan — Republic of China/Taiwan
Islamic Consultative Assembly — Iran

Sub-National

List of state legislatures of the United States — United States
- General Assembly / Assembly
- Great and General Court / General Court
- House of Delegates
Landtag — Germany, Austria
Canada
- Legislative Assembly — All provinces and territories except:
- National Assembly — Quebec
- House of Assembly — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador
Australia
- Legislative Assembly - All States and Territories except:
- House of Assembly - South Australia and Tasmania
- Legislative Council - All States except Queensland
United Kingdom
- Scottish Parliament — Scotland
- Northern Ireland Assembly — Northern Ireland
- National Assembly for Wales — Wales
- Houses of Parliament — United Kingdom overall.