Parliament is a legislature elected by the people of a country. It is generally considered a central institution in any democratic political system. Parliaments are often bicameral, with two chambers or houses.
The main functions of parliaments are lawmaking, oversight and representation. Parliamentarians shape and debate the rules that govern society, through their legislation function; they hold governments to account in their oversight function (and can also overturn government policy through a motion of no confidence), and they represent the views and beliefs of citizens to the state, media and other audiences.
Legislation is usually enacted through several distinct stages, called readings. These begin with the introduction of a bill, followed by a full consideration of its clauses in the House of Commons and the House of Lords (or their equivalents). The final stage is the passing of the bill into law, which can only take place after it has been passed in the other house and received royal assent.
The vast majority of MPs are elected to their seats by the voters of a particular constituency, although there is some scope for individuals to stand as independent candidates or to join smaller parties. Once elected, an MP’s career can be long or short, depending on the relative popularity of one’s party and the margin by which they are winning their seat at election time. Many new Members find the job demanding and there are numerous reports of poor mental and physical health. The competitive and individual nature of the role, combined with the fact that many new MPs have no complete control over their diary, means they need to be ruthless about managing their time.