Indicator: 1.1 Parliamentary autonomy

This indicator concerns parliament’s autonomy in all aspects of its operations. In democratic systems, parliament, as the supreme representative body, exercises legislative power, sets overall policy priorities and scrutinizes the activities of the executive. It does so within the scope established by the legal framework. It has the constitutional and/or legal powers to adopt and amend its own rules of procedure, to set its own structure, to determine the terms of reference and membership of its committees, to determine its own agenda and timetable, to set and control its own budget, to make its own administrative and staffing arrangements, and to ensure it has the necessary resources to carry out its mandate.