No. 16

Download

Share

Print

Bills Introduced by MPs in the Riigikogu – Pseudo-legislation or the Real Thing?

19 December 2007

Studies

RiTo No. 16, 2007

  • Mihkel Solvak

    Mihkel Solvak

    University of Tartu, Institute of Government and Politics, Researcher

In analyzing the objectives of draft legislation tabled by members of parliament, it has been noted that they are often introduced for ulterior objectives, not out of a desire to make a contribution to the legislation.

In the knowledge that the likelihood of the bill becoming law is small, the introduction of such bills thus constitutes an offered potential alternative to the government policy. Such allegedly improper use of draft laws has been called pseudo-legislation. The writer takes a look at whether, and to what extent, it is possible to use the concept of pseudo-legislation to describe the bills introduced by Riigikogu MPs. It is concluded on the basis of analysis of the technical structure and course of proceedings conducted on bills introduced by MPs in the 10th Riigikogu (2003-2007) and the identity of the MPs, that there are clear characteristics that allow the introduction of and conducting of proceedings on many of the bills to indeed be construed as pseudo-legislation. At the same time other characteristics are also evident which indicate that it is not always justified to classify such bills as pseudo-legislation.

Full article in Estonian

Feedback