Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Introduzione: il contesto storico, politico e culturale africano. – 2. Le istituzioni: le ragioni del bicameralismo. – 3. Le Camere alte: la funzione rappresentativa. – 3.1. La rappresentanza territoriale: il federalismo etnico nelle esperienze etiope e nigeriana. – 3.1.1. La democrazia consociativa: Namibia e Sudafrica. – 3.1.2. Le altre esperienze. – 3.2. Le Camere alte tra rappresentanza territoriale, etnica e corporativa. – 3.3. Le Camere tradizionali. – 4. La funzione legislativa. – 4.1. La funzione di controllo. – 4.2. Revisione costituzionale, Judicial Review, potere di nomina, impeachment. – 5. Conclusioni.

Abstract

Bicameralism was one of the typical features of the French and English parliamentary systems of the mid 20th Century. On the contrary, when one is considering African legal systems it is evident that bicameralism has had a totally different origin and development. In fact, while legislative lower chambers in most of these countries represent the people, second chambers find their original justification in a series of heterogeneous factors. Countries that are undergoing a democratic transition may opt for bicameralism because it appears to be both a short-term instrument for guaranteeing stability, and a long-term instrument for strengthening democracy.