Senate (USA) - Overview, Senates around the world, Defunct senates

One of the two houses of the US Congress, consisting of two senators from each State (100 in all), chosen by the people to serve for six years; a third are chosen every two years. It has powers of ‘advice and consent’ on presidential treaties and appointments. Much of its work is done through committees rather than on the floor. It is presided over by the US vice-president, who can cast the deciding vote if there is a tie.

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A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. The most widely known senates are the Roman Senate and the United States Senate.

Overview

The word senate is derived from the Latin word senex for "old man", via the Latin word senatus (senate). The original senate was the Roman Senate, which lasted until 580.

Modern democratic states with bicameral parliamentary systems are sometimes equipped with a senate, often distinguished from an ordinary parallel lower house, known variously as the "House of Representatives", "House of Commons", "Chamber of Deputies", "National Assembly" or "House of Assembly", by electoral rules. Typically, the senate is referred to as the upper house and has a smaller membership than the lower house.

In a federal system, the senate often serves a balancing effect by giving a larger share of power to regions and groups which would otherwise be overwhelmed in a purely representative system. However, there are still typically fewer members of a state Senate than there are members of the lower house.

In Germany, the term Senate also has different meanings, referring to the executive branch of government rather than the legislature, and to the judiciary. However, in the Free State of Bavaria, the Senate was the upper house of parliament until its abolition in 1999.

The title of senator can also be used for certain members of other legislative bodies, for example, some elected members of the States of Jersey, and nominated members of Dominica's House of Assembly and St. Kitts and Nevis's National Assembly, are known as 'Senators'.

Senates around the world

Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Australia Bahamas Barbados Belgium Belize Bolivia Brazil Burundi Cambodia Canada Chile Colombia Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Czech Republic Dominican Republic Fiji France Gabon Grenada Haiti Ireland Italy Jamaica Jordan Kazakhstan Lesotho Liberia Madagascar Malaysia Mexico Nigeria Palau Pakistan Paraguay Philippines Poland Romania Rwanda Saint Lucia Spain Swaziland Thailand Trinidad and Tobago United States Uruguay Zimbabwe

Defunct senates

Bavaria (1999) Chad (2005) Confederate States of America (1861-1865) Egypt (1952) Ethiopia (1974) British Guiana (now Guyana) (1955) Indonesia (1950) Iran (1979) Iraq (1958) Kenya 1966 Libya (1969) Malta (1949) Nicaragua (1979) Northern Ireland (1921-1972) Roman Republic/Empire (510 BC-AD 580) Senegal (2001) South Africa (1910-1981) (1994-1997) South Vietnam (1975) Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) (1971) Sudan (1958) Peru (1993) Turkey (1980s) Venezuela (2000)

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