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Unicameralism (from uni- "one" + Latin camera "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly 60% of all national legislatures and an even greater share of subnational legislatures.
Sometimes, as in New Zealand and Denmark, unicameralism comes about through the abolition of one of two bicameral chambers, or, as in Sweden, through the merger of the two chambers into a single one, while in others a second chamber has never existed from the beginning.
Proponents of bicameral legislatures say that having two legislative chambers offers an additional restraint on the majority, though critics note that there are other ways to restrain majorities, such as through non-partisan courts and a robust constitution.
Many subnational entities have unicameral legislatures. These include the state of Nebraska and territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands in the United States, the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, the state of Queensland as well as the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, a majority of the provinces of Argentina, all of the provinces and territories in Canada, all of the regions of Italy, all of the provinces of Nepal, all of the Spanish autonomous communities, both of the autonomous regions of Portugal, most of the states and union territories of India, and all of the states of Brazil and Germany. In the United Kingdom, the devolved Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the London Assembly are also unicameral.
| Bundestag | 630 | The Bundestag is technically the unicameral parliament of Germany, since the Basic Law (German constitution) defines the German Bundesrat not as a chamber of the legislature, but as a completely separate legislative institution. | |
| Council of Representatives | 329 | A provision exists for the founding of a "Council of Union", but no move to this effect has been initiated by the existing Council | |
| Congress | 14 | ||
| National Assembly | 15 | ||
| Federal National Council | 40 | ||
| National Assembly | 277 |
| Leadership Council | 30 | Purely advisory, powers reside in the emir. | |
| Kuvendi | 140 | ||
| General Council of Andorra | 28 | ||
| National Assembly | 220 | ||
| National Assembly | 107 | ||
| National Assembly | 125 | ||
| Jatiya Sangsad | 350 | ||
| National Assembly | 109 | ||
| National Assembly | 65 | ||
| Legislative Council | 37 | Purely advisory, powers reside in the King | |
| National Assembly | 240 | ||
| National Assembly | 127 | ||
| National Assembly | 72 | ||
| National Assembly | 140 | ||
| National People's Congress | 2977 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 57 | ||
| Sabor | 151 | ||
| National Assembly of People's Power | 470 | ||
| House of Representatives | 56 | ||
| Folketing | 179 | ||
| National Assembly | 65 | ||
| House of Assembly | 32 | ||
| National Parliament | 65 | ||
| National Assembly | 151 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 60 | ||
| National Assembly | 150 | ||
| Riigikogu | 101 | ||
| Parliament | 55 | ||
| Parliament | 200 | ||
| National Assembly | 58 | ||
| Parliament | 150 | ||
| Parliament | 275 | ||
| Parliament | 300 | ||
| Congress | 160 | ||
| National Assembly | 81 | ||
| National People's Assembly | 102 | ||
| National Assembly | 65 | ||
| National Congress | 128 | ||
| National Assembly | 199 | ||
| Althing | 63 | ||
| Islamic Consultative Assembly | 290 | ||
| Knesset | 120 | ||
| House of Assembly | 45 | ||
| Supreme People's Assembly | 687 | ||
| National Assembly | 300 | ||
| National Assembly | 65 | ||
| Supreme Council | 90 | ||
| National Assembly | 164 | ||
| Saeima | 100 | ||
| Parliament | 128 | ||
| House of Representatives | 200 | ||
| Landtag | 25 | ||
| Seimas | 141 | ||
| Chamber of Deputies | 60 | ||
| National Assembly | 193 | ||
| Majlis | 93 | ||
| National Assembly | 147 | ||
| Parliament | 79 | ||
| Legislature | 33 | ||
| Parliament | 176 | ||
| National Assembly | 70 | ||
| Parliament | 101 | ||
| National Council | 24 | ||
| State Great Khural | 126 | ||
| Parliament | 81 | ||
| Assembly of the Republic | 250 | ||
| Parliament | 19 | ||
| Parliament | 120 | ||
| National Assembly | 90 | ||
| National Assembly | 171 | ||
| Assembly | 120 | ||
| Storting | 169 | ||
| Legislative Council | 132 | ||
| National Assembly | 71 | ||
| National Parliament | 118 | ||
| Congress of the Republic | 130 | In 2026 the Congress will return to a bicameral legislature, with a 60-seat Senate and 130-seat Chamber of Deputies. | |
| Assembly of the Republic | 230 | ||
| Consultative Assembly | 45 | ||
| House of Assembly | 21 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 53 | ||
| Consultative Assembly | 150 | Purely advisory, powers reside in the King | |
| Grand and General Council | 60 | ||
| National Assembly | 55 | ||
| National Assembly | 165 | ||
| National Assembly | 250 | ||
| National Assembly | 35 | ||
| Parliament | 149 | ||
| Parliament | 104 | ||
| National Council | 150 | ||
| National Parliament | 50 | ||
| Parliament | 225 | ||
| National Assembly | 51 | ||
| Riksdag | 349 | ||
| People's Assembly | 250 | Temporaly dissolved | |
| National Assembly | 393 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 26 | ||
| National Assembly | 161 | ||
| Grand National Assembly | 600 | ||
| Assembly | 125 | ||
| Parliament | 16 | ||
| Parliament | 557 | ||
| Verkhovna Rada | 450 | ||
| Parliament | 52 | ||
| Pontifical Commission | 8 | All powers delegated by the sovereign | |
| National Assembly | 500 | ||
| National Assembly | 167 |
| Parliament | 30 | ||
| House of Assembly | 13 | ||
| Parliament | 21 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 57 | ||
| House of Assembly | 15 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 21 | ||
| Parliament | 24 | ||
| Parliament | 21 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 11 | ||
| Løgting | 33 | ||
| Assembly | 57 | ||
| Parliament | 17 | ||
| Inatsisartut | 31 | ||
| Legislature | 15 | Unincorporated territory of the United States | |
| States | 40 | ||
| Legislative Council | 90 | ||
| States Assembly | 54 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 47 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 33 | ||
| Legislative Assembly | 11 | ||
| Congress | 54 | ||
| Niue Assembly | 20 | ||
| Island Council | 10 | ||
| Territorial Council | 19 | ||
| Legislative Council | 15 | ||
| Collectivity of Saint Martin | 23 | ||
| Territorial Council | 19 | ||
| Parliament | 15 | ||
| House of Assembly | 15 | ||
| General Fono | 20 | ||
| House of Assembly | 21 | ||
| Legislature | 15 | ||
| Territorial Assembly | 20 |
| People's Assembly | 35 | ||
| Assembly | 120 | ||
| Assembly of the Republic | 50 | ||
| National Council | 51 | ||
| Parliament | 34 | ||
| Legislative Yuan | 113 | The original constitution is partially superseded by the additional articles only on Taiwan which replaced the tricameral parliament into a unicameral one. A sunset clause in the additional articles will terminate them in the event of a hypothetical resumption of ROC rule in Mainland China. | |
| Supreme Council | 33 |
The ongoing process of amending or revising the current Constitution and form of government is popularly known as Charter Change. A shift to a unicameral parliament was included in the proposals of the constitutional commission created by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Unlike in the United States, senators in the Senate of the Philippines are elected not per district and state but nationally; the Philippines is a unitary state. The Philippine government's decision-making process, relative to the United States, is more rigid, highly centralised, much slower and susceptible to political gridlock. As a result, the trend for unicameralism as well as other political system reforms are more contentious in the Philippines.
While Congress is bicameral, all local legislatures are unicameral: the Bangsamoro Parliament, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Boards), Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Councils), Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Councils), Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Councils), and the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Councils).
The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the supreme legislative body of the state of Nebraska and the only unicameral state legislature in the United States. Its members are called "senators", as it was originally the upper house of a bicameral legislature before the Nebraska House of Representatives dissolved in 1937. The legislature is also notable for being nonpartisan and officially recognizes no party affiliation, making Nebraska unique among US states. With 49 members, it is also the smallest legislature of any US state.
A 2018 study found that efforts to adopt unicameralism in Ohio and Missouri failed due to rural opposition. There was a fear in rural communities that unicameralism would diminish their influence in state government.
Local government legislatures of counties, cities, or other political subdivisions within states are usually unicameral and have limited lawmaking powers compared to their state and federal counterparts.
Some of the 13 colonies which became independent, such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New Hampshire had initially introduced strong unicameral legislature and (relatively) less powerful governors with no veto power. Pennsylvania's constitution lasted only 14 years. In 1790, conservatives gained power in the state legislature, called a new constitutional convention, and rewrote the constitution. The new constitution substantially reduced universal male suffrage, gave the governor veto power and patronage appointment authority, and added an upper house with substantial wealth qualifications to the unicameral legislature. Thomas Paine called it a constitution unworthy of America.
In 1944, Missouri held a vote on changing the General Assembly to a unicameral one, which was narrowly rejected by the voters 52.42–47.58. Only the city of St. Louis and the St. Louis County voted in favor, whilst Jackson County (containing the bulk of Kansas City) narrowly voted against, and all other counties voted against the change to unicameralism.
In 1970, North Dakota voters voted to call a constitutional convention. In 1972, a change to a unicameral legislature was approved by 69.36–30.64, however, since the voters rejected the new constitution at the same referendum, it never took effect.
In 1999, Governor Jesse Ventura proposed converting the Minnesota Legislature into a single chamber. Although debated, the idea was never adopted.
The US territory of Puerto Rico held a non-binding referendum in 2005. Voters approved changing its Legislative Assembly to a unicameral body by 456,267 votes in favor (83.7%) versus 88,720 against (16.3%). If both the territory's House of Representatives and Senate had approved by a vote the specific amendments to the Puerto Rico Constitution that are required for the change to a unicameral legislature, another referendum would have been held in the territory to approve such amendments. If those constitutional changes had been approved, Puerto Rico could have switched to a unicameral legislature as early as 2015.
On June 9, 2009, the Maine House of Representatives voted to form a unicameral legislature, but the measure did not pass the Senate.
Because of legislative gridlock in 2009, former Congressman Rick Lazio, a prospective candidate for governor, has proposed that New York adopt unicameralism. One for All, Rick Lazio, New York Times, July 14, 2009
The United States as a whole was subject to a unicameral Congress during the years 1781–1788, when the Articles of Confederation were in effect. The Confederate States of America, pursuant to its Provisional Constitution, in effect from February 8, 1861, to February 22, 1862, was governed by a unicameral Congress.
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