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A legislator (also known as a deputy or lawmaker) is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people of the state.[1] Legislatures may be supra-national (for example, the European Parliament), national (for example, the United States Congress), or local (for example, local authorities).
OverviewEdit
The political theory of the separation of powers requires legislators to be independent individuals from the members of the executive and the judiciary. Certain political systems adhere to this principle, others do not. In the United Kingdom, for example, the executive is formed almost exclusively from legislators (members of Parliament) although the judiciary is mostly independent (until reforms in 2005, the lord chancellor uniquely was a legislator, a member of the executive - indeed, the Cabinet - and a judge, while until 2009 the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary were both judges and legislators as members of the House of Lords, though by convention they did not vote in the House until retirement).
In continental European jurisprudence and legal discussion, "the legislator" (le législateur) is the abstract entity that has produced the laws. When there is room for interpretation, the intent of the legislator will be questioned, and the court is directed to rule in the direction it judges to best fit the legislative intent, which can be difficult in the case of conflicting laws or constitutional provisions.
TerminologyEdit
The local term for a legislator is usually a derivation of the local term for the relevant legislature. Typical examples include
- Parliament: member of parliament
- Assembly: member of the assembly
- Legislature: member of the legislature
- Congress: member of congress
- Senate: senator
- House of Representatives: representative
- The generic term "deputy" may also be used, deriving from the concept that the legislator is "deputising" for the electorate of their electoral district.
By countryEdit
This is an incomplete list of terms for a national legislator:
Substitute legislatorEdit
Some legislatures provide each legislator with an official "substitute legislator" who deputises for the legislator in the legislature if the elected representative is unavailable. Venezuela, for example, provides for substitute legislators (diputado suplente) to be elected under Article 186 of its 1999 constitution.[7] Ecuador, Panama, and the U.S. state of Idaho also have substitute legislators.[8]
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Little, T.H.; Ogle, D.B. (2006). The Legislative Branch of State Government: People, Process, and Politics. ABC-CLIO's about state government. ABC-CLIO. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-85109-761-6. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
- ^ Parliament of Canada: Senate: Senators.
- ^ Parliament of Canada: Guide to the Canadian House of Commons: The Role of a Member of Parliament.
- ^ "Chambre des députés". Le Parlement haitien. Archived from the original on Aug 31, 2018.
- ^ "Socialist Constitution". Chapter IV, Section 1, Article 89. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ 사회주의헌법 (in Korean). 제6장, 제1절, 제89조. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ "Asamblea Nacional Constituyente". Tribunal Supremo de Justicia. Archived from the original on 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
- ^ Russell, Betsy (16 March 2014). "Idaho's substitute law unique". Spokesman Review. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
External linksEdit
Media related to Legislators at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related to Legislators at Wikiquote
