Congress of Hamsterland

Congress of Hamsterland Hamsterlandets Kongress
7th Congress Session
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate Chamber
History
Founded	27 March 2018
New session started	20 January 2024
Leadership
President of the Senate	Karl Lundkvist, Moderate Party since 18 January 2022
Speaker of the Chamber	Peter Haglund, Libertarian Party since 16 January 2023
Seats	40
Elections
Chamber voting system	Proportional representation
Chamber last election	1 January 2024
Chamber next election	1 January 2025
Motto
The will of the people, our highest law
Meeting place
Hall of Congress, Luddestad

Congress of Hamsterland is the legislature of the State of Hamsterland and the nations main governing organ.

History

Congress was founded in 2018 10 days after the nations independence after the first election during which the Libertarian Party won 12 seats in the Chamber and formed the first government. Congress two houses are in the constitution a rough area were it's mostly up to the individual to decide how to look at it. Therefore the first justice was appointed with the sole purpose to decide how Congress should work during his tenure. The system he came up with was used during the elections that created Congress in 2018 made it so that only the lower house should be elected by the people. This was badly recieved and the next justice to be appointed in 2024 is likley to move away from this system in favour of a more democratic one. Congress in 2020 elected the current government in which all parties was included.

Functions

Congress is the highest governing organ in the country where the people shall according to the constitution have any say in who sits there. This is the reason for the elected Chamber ranking above the unelected Senate in power. Both houses can propose bills but all proposed bills start of in the Chamber before moving to the Senate. If the Senate passes the bill it is put before the Chief Hamster who can either Veto or sign it. Congress can with 2/3 majority overturn the Veto and force the Defender to sign the bill. Each year elections for the Chamber are all held using proportional representation. The Senate is however appointed by the Chief Hamster, often on recommendation of the government. Because of this the layout of the Senate has stayed the same since 2019 even if Senators can join other parties. The Chamber also elects governments after elections before the new session can start. Congress two highest working officials are the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Chamber. The Speaker position is purely honorary as the speaker still can vote while leading the Chambers work and for that reason the position rotates with each session. The President of the Senate on the other hand is appointed by the Government and is the closest thing to a elected Senator there is. The President then has the power to stop bills proposed by Senators from reaching the Chamber to start their process to becoming laws. The President also works in close cooperation with the Government as a part of the Chief Hamsters Council.

Parties

Party		Seats
	Libertarian Party	15 / 40
	Moderate Party	16 / 40
	Socialist Party	9 / 40