legislativecentered

Legislative-centered is a term used in political science to describe a governance approach in which the legislature and its procedures are the central locus of political authority and policy making. In legislative-centered systems, the legislature exercises significant control over the policy agenda, and the executive derives legitimacy and constraint from its relationship with the chamber.

Key features include a strong emphasis on parliamentary debate, a robust committee system that drafts, analyzes, and amends legislation, and substantial budgetary authority. The executive is typically formed from the legislature and remains accountable to it, with mechanisms such as votes of confidence, interpellations, and regular oversight hearings shaping policy implementation.

Legislative-centered arrangements are characteristic of many parliamentary democracies, where governments are formed by the party or coalition with the majority in the legislature. Examples include the Westminster model adopted in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries, as well as various continental systems with strong parliamentary oversight. In such systems, the legislature often plays a decisive role in selecting the executive and in approving major policy initiatives.

Advantages of legislative centrality include enhanced accountability, more deliberative policymaking, and clearer linkages between policy proposals and legislative approval. Critics warn that it can lead to gridlock, slower crisis response, and excessive focus on procedure at the expense of policy outcomes. The degree of legislative centrality varies across countries and over time.

Related topics include parliamentary democracy, checks and balances, and executive-legislative relations.