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Parliament

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A beautiful view of the Palace of Westminster in London at dusk.

What is a Parliament?

A parliament is a special group of people who help make rules for a country. They are chosen by everyone in the country to make sure the rules are fair and help everyone. Parliaments are very important because they help leaders make good decisions.

Where are Parliaments?

Many countries around the world have their own parliaments. Some big countries, like Canada and Australia, have many smaller parliaments in different parts of their countries. Places that were once ruled by kings or queens, called monarchies, often have parliaments too.

Fun Facts About Parliaments

  • The word “parliament” comes from old words that mean talking things out together.
  • Some parliaments are very old. The Althing in Iceland is the oldest surviving parliament in the world!
  • In the United Kingdom, the parliament is made of three parts: the Monarch, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is where members are elected by people.

Why We Know About Parliaments

People know about parliaments because they help make important rules for everyone. They make sure leaders listen to all the people and work together. In many countries, having a parliament means everyone has a say in how the country is run.

Some Parliaments Around the World

Here are some of the parliaments from different countries:

Images

The Magna Carta, a historic document from 1215 that helped shape the idea of legal rights, shown here in its original medieval form.
Inside the Chamber of the House of Representatives at Japan's National Diet Building.
The Alþingishúsið building in Reykjavik, home to Iceland's parliament.
The grand Session Hall inside the Parliament House in Helsinki, Finland.
The grand Council Hall inside the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest, showcasing its impressive architecture and design.
Historical painting of the First Sejm by Jan Matejko, showing Polish nobles gathered in an early parliamentary meeting.
Members of Poland's parliament during a session on September 7, 2007.
A formal meeting hall in the State Duma where important government discussions take place.
The interior of the Scottish Parliament's Main Debating Chamber, where important discussions and decisions for Scotland take place.
The Binnenhof is a historic group of buildings in The Hague, Netherlands, where important government meetings take place.

Related articles

Monarchies
Althing
Monarch
House of Lords
European Parliament
Parliament of Austria

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Parliament, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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