Legislative Right of Initiative

This document explains the data compiled by the Comparative Constitutions Project with respect to the authority to introduce legislation for consideration. Based on 70 constitutions reviewed, it explains the allocation and distribution of the legislative initiative authority between the following categories of actors: Head of State, Head of Government, ministers or members of cabinet, political parties, member of the 1st chamber, member of the 2nd chamber, public initiative, and unspecified. In addition, the paper provides a graphic distribution of the distribution of power among these actors, and it ends with samples of constitutional provisions dealing with the legislative initiative.