Legal Definitions - parliamentary

Parliamentary refers to two main concepts:

• First, it describes anything of or relating to a parliament, which is a country's primary legislative body responsible for making laws.
• Second, it refers to the established rules and procedures, often called parliamentary procedure or parliamentary law, used to conduct meetings fairly and efficiently in any formal group or assembly. These rules ensure orderly debate, proper voting, and respect for all participants.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of "parliamentary":

• Imagine a country like Australia or New Zealand. These nations operate under a parliamentary system of government. This means that the executive branch (the government leaders, like the Prime Minister and cabinet) is drawn from and accountable to the legislative branch (the parliament). For instance, if the Prime Minister loses the confidence of the majority in parliament, they might have to resign or call a new election.

  This example illustrates "parliamentary" by describing a fundamental structure of government that is entirely centered around the functions and authority of a parliament.

• Consider a large university's faculty senate meeting. When a controversial proposal regarding curriculum changes is introduced, members might raise "points of order" or move to "table the motion" to postpone discussion. These actions are part of the senate's adherence to parliamentary procedure, ensuring that debates are structured, votes are taken fairly, and decisions are made according to established rules, preventing chaos or domination by a few individuals.

  Here, "parliamentary" refers to the formal rules governing how a meeting is conducted, ensuring order, fairness, and efficiency in a deliberative assembly.