abstract
| - The Congress of Zardugal is the unicameral legislature of national government the Federation of Zardugal, responsible for the exercise of all federal law-making powers within the Zardic nation. Its second major power derives from the fact that the Cabinet must have the confidence of the Congress. By convention, the members of the Cabinet are also members of the Congress. Additionally, the members of the opposition have to power to scrutinise the actions of the Government during Prime Minister's Questions. It currently comprises 650 popularly elected members, with each of Zardugal's States electing a delegation of 130 members to represent it. Members are elected for the duration of one term of the Congress, which lasts for a maximum of three years. However, early elections can be called prior to the expiration of the current term. Every seat is up for election at elections, which are traditionally held of the second Saturday of the month. The Congress is presided over by the Speaker, who is generally but not always a member of the Government, but acts in a largely impartial, non-partisan role. It meets in the Congress Building in Belgae, the Capital of Zardugal. All though the nation of Zardugal has existed since 2119, the Congress is a relatively young body and is merely the latest in a series of national legislatures. It was created by the Federalist Party with the Congress Act of 3302, which abolished the 600-member National Directorate (which had been Zardugal's legislature for over 1,000 years) and replaced it with a 400-member Congress. The number of members variates during the course of history between 650 and 750 members. To date, 3750, the ZPP renewed the Congress and baptized it as the 'Second Renewed Congress' in honor of passing several land marking civil rights bills.
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