Possible Specific Characteristics
An upper house is usually different from the lower house in at least one of the following respects:
- It has less power than the lower house.
- Only limited legislative matters, such as constitutional amendments, require its approval.
- It is a house of review which cannot initiate or veto legislation, but only consider matters raised by the lower house.
- It has (in presidential systems) the sole power to try impeachments against the executive, following enabling resolutions passed by the lower house.
- Its members are often not popularly elected; membership may be indirect, hereditary or by appointment.
- Its members may be elected with a different voting system to the lower house (for example, upper houses in Australia and its states are usually elected by proportional representation, whereas lower houses are not).
- Its members represent administrative divisions of a federation.
- It has fewer seats than the lower house (except for the House of Lords of the United Kingdom).
- Members' terms are longer than in the lower house, and may be for life.
- Members are elected in portions, for staggered terms, rather than all at one time.
- It cannot be dissolved.
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