2025/09/10 by Birhanu, Ayenew
#Bicamerialism #House of Federation #Second Chamber
paper · doi:10.71624/t3vhxt19
Today, almost all federal countries have bicameral legislatures. However, from the perspective of federation, despite the fact that bicameralism is a widespread method of organising federal legislatures, the principal focus of attention is on the second chamber. This study is primarily about the viability of Ethiopia’s federal second chamber. The key questions that this study wrestles with are: Why is the second chamber important in federations? What constraints does the second chamber in Ethiopia face? What comparative insights can be drawn from any relevant federal systems? Methodologically, this study employed a qualitative research approach and analysis. The paper chiefly relies on a survey of literature and analysis of constitutions, laws, proclamations and policy documents. The approach of this study is focused on the political and legal aspects of the nature of the second chamber from the perspective of the general nature of multinational federations and Ethiopia's perspective in particular. This study contends that in federations, second chambers play a central role in deepening and fostering democracies. In Ethiopia, although the House of Federation is a principal body for representing the concerns of nations, nationalities and peoples, and a potential agent of national integration, this study depicts that the House has been unable to make an obvious contribution and has not lived up to expectations. This study indicates that the role of the house is generally constrained by a variety of constitutional and political factors– which render it unable, in practice, to use its powers to the full.