View source for Legislator

{{Short description|Person who writes and passes laws}}
{{Refimprove|date=August 2013}}
{{Wiktionary|legislator|legislatrix|lawmaker}}
{{Legislature}}
{{Politics}}

A '''legislator''', or '''lawmaker''', is a [[person]] who [[write]]s and [[ratification|passes]] [[law]]s, especially someone who is a [[member of parliament|member]] of a [[legislature]]. Legislators are often [[election|elected]] by the [[voter|people]], but they can be appointed, or [[inheritance|hereditary]]. Legislatures may be supra-national (for example, the [[European Parliament]]), national, such as the [[Japanese Diet]], sub-national as in provinces, or [[local government|local]]. They are also known as [[Politician|Politicians]].

== Overview ==
The [[political theory]] of the [[separation of powers]] requires legislators to be independent individuals from the members of the [[executive (government)|executive]] and the [[judiciary]]. Certain political systems adhere to this principle, others do not. In the [[United Kingdom]] and other countries using the [[Westminster system]], for example, the executive is formed almost exclusively from legislators (members of the parliament), and the executive Cabinet itself has delegated legislative power.

In continental European [[jurisprudence]] and legal discussion, "the legislator" (''{{Lang|fr|le législateur}}'') is the [[abstract entity]] that has produced the laws. When there is room for [[interpretation (logic)|interpretation]], the intent of the legislator will be questioned, and the court is directed to rule in the direction it judges to best fit the legislative intent, which can be difficult in the case of conflicting laws or constitutional provisions.

== Terminology ==
The local term for a legislator is usually a derivation of the local term for the relevant legislature. Typical examples include
* Parliament: [[member of parliament]]
* Assembly: member of the assembly
* Legislature: member of the legislature
* Congress: [[member of congress]]
* [[Chamber of Deputies]]: deputy
* [[Senate]]: senator
* [[House of Representatives]]: representative
*The generic term "deputy" may also be used, deriving from the concept that the legislator is "deputising" for the electorate of their [[electoral district]].

=== By country ===
This is an incomplete list of terms for a national legislator:

{| width=90% class="wikitable"
! Country 
! Title 
! Legislature 
|-
| {{flag|Algeria}}
| ''{{Lang|ar|نواب|italic=no|rtl=yes}}'' ({{Lang|ar-latn|Député}})
| [[People's National Assembly]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |{{flag|Argentina}}
| ''{{Lang|es|Diputado Nacional}}''
| [[Argentine Chamber of Deputies|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| ''{{Lang|es|Senador}}
| [[Argentine Senate|Senate]]
|-
| ''{{Lang|es|Diputado provincial}}''
|  Several provincial Chambers of Deputies
|-
| {{flag|Belarus}}
| {{lang|be|Дэпутат|italics=no}} ({{Lang|be-latn|deputat}})
| [[House of Representatives of Belarus|House of Representatives]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{flag|Belgium}}
| Provincial executive member: ''{{Lang|nl|Gedeputeerde}}'' (Dutch) / ''{{Lang|fr|Député}}'' (French) / {{Lang|de|Deputierter}} (German)
| Deputation / Provincial College (provincial executive body)
|-
| In French, ''{{Lang|fr|député}}'' is sometimes also used to denote a member of parliament.
| [[Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)|Chamber of Representatives]] or a regional parliament
|-
| {{flag|Bolivia}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Chamber of Deputies (Bolivia)|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{flag|Brazil}}
| ''{{Lang|pt|Deputado estadual/distrital}}''
| [[Legislative Assemblies of Brazilian states|Legislative Assemblies]]
|-
| <span name="deputado">''{{Lang|pt|Deputado federal}}''</span>
| [[Chamber of Deputies (Brazil)|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| ''{{Lang|pt|Senador}}''
| [[Federal Senate (Brazil)|Federal Senate]]
|-
| {{flag|Bulgaria}}
| ''{{Lang|bg|Депутат|italic=no}}'' (''{{Lang|bg-latn|Deputat|italic=no}}'')
| [[National Assembly (Bulgaria)|National Assembly]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{flag|Canada}}
| Senator,<ref>[https://www.sencanada.ca/en/senators/ Senators]. Parliament of Canada.</ref> ''{{Lang|fr|Sénateur}}''
| [[Senate of Canada]]
|-
| [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]] (MP)<ref>[https://learn.parl.ca/sites/Learn/default/en_CA/Guide-to-the-Canadian-House-of-Commons/Role "Guide to the Canadian House of Commons:  The Role of a Member of Parliament]. Parliament of Canada.</ref> / ''{{Lang|fr|Député}}''
|[[House of Commons of Canada]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{flag|Chile}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Chamber of Deputies of Chile|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| {{Lang|es|Senador/Senadora}}
| [[Senate of Chile|Senate]]
|-
| {{flag|China}}
| ''{{Lang|zh-latn|Deputy}}'' ({{Lang|zh-Hani|人大代表|italic=no}})
| [[National People's Congress]]
|-
| {{flag|Colombia}}
| ''{{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}''
| [[Departamental Assemblies of Colombia|Departamental Assemblies]]
|-
| {{flag|Costa Rica}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica|Legislative Assembly]]
|-
| {{flag|Denmark}}
| ''{{Lang|da|Folketingsmedlem}}''
| [[Folketing|Folketinget]]
|-
| {{flag|Dominican Republic}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic]]
|-
| {{flag|Ecuador}}
| ''{{Lang|es|Asambleísta}}'' (before 2007, ''{{Lang|es|diputado}}'')
| [[National Assembly (Ecuador)|National Assembly]]
|-
| {{flag|El Salvador}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Legislative Assembly of El Salvador|Legislative Assembly]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{flag|France}}
| ''{{Lang|fr|[[Deputy (France)|Député/Députée]]}}''
| [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]]
|-
|''{{Lang|fr|Sénateur/Sénatrice}}''
|[[Senate (France)|Senate]]
|-
| {{flag|Germany}}
| {{Lang|de|Abgeordnete/Abgeordneter}}
|[[Bundestag]], [[Landtag]]
|-
| {{flag|Guatemala}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Congress of Guatemala|Congress of the Republic]]
|-
| {{flag|Guernsey}}
| ''People's Deputy''
| [[States of Guernsey]]
|-
| {{flag|Haiti}}
| ''{{Lang|fr|Député}}''<ref>{{cite web |title=Chambre des députés |url=http://parlementhaitien.ht/chambre-des-deputes/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831233552/http://parlementhaitien.ht/chambre-des-deputes/ |archive-date=Aug 31, 2018 |publisher=Le Parlement haitien}}</ref>
| [[Chamber of Deputies (Haiti)|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| {{flag|Honduras}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[National Congress of Honduras|National Congress]]
|-
| {{flag|India}}
| ''Member of Parliament''
| [[Lok Sabha]]
|-
| {{flag|Iran}}
| ''{{Lang|fa|مجلس شورای اسلامی|italic=no|rtl=yes}}''
| [[Islamic Consultative Assembly (Iran)|Islamic Consultative Assembly]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{flagcountry|Republic of Ireland|}}
| Senators / ''{{lang|ga|Seanadóirí}}''
| [[Seanad Éireann]]
|-
| [[Teachtaí Dála|Teachta Dála]] (TD)
| [[Dáil Éireann]]
|-
| {{flag|Italy}}
| ''{{lang|it|Deputato}}''
| [[Chamber of Deputies (Italy)|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
|{{flag|Jersey}}
| ''Deputy''
| [[States of Jersey|States Assembly]]
|-
|{{flag|Kazakhstan}}
|''{{lang|kk|Депутат|italic=no}}'' (''{{lang|kk-latn|deputat}}'')
|[[Parliament of Kazakhstan|Parliament]]
|-
| {{flag|Latvia}}
| ''{{Lang|lv|Deputāts}}''
| [[Parliament of Latvia|Saeima]]
|-
| {{flag|Lebanon}}
| ''{{Lang|fr|Député}}''/''{{Lang|ar|النواب|italic=no|rtl=yes}}'' (''{{Lang|ar-latn|Nuwwab}}'', or ''deputy'')
| [[Parliament of Lebanon|Parliament]]
|-
| {{flag|Luxembourg}}
| ''{{Lang|lb|Deputéierten}}'' / ''{{Lang|fr|Député}}''
| [[Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| {{flag|Mexico}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Chamber of Deputies (Mexico)|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{flag|Netherlands}}
| ''{{Lang|nl|Gedeputeerde}}''
| [[Provincial executive]] (European Netherlands)
|-
|''{{Lang|nl|Eilandgedeputeerde}}''
|{{Lang|nl|[[Executive council (Netherlands)|Bestuurscollege]]|italic=no}} ([[Caribbean Netherlands]])
|-
| {{flag|Nicaragua}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[National Assembly (Nicaragua)|National Assembly]]
|-
| {{flag|North Korea}}
| Deputy ({{Korean|hangul=대의원|mr=taeŭiwŏn|context=north|labels=no}})<ref>{{Cite web |title=Socialist Constitution |at=Chapter IV, Section 1, Article 89 |access-date=6 March 2021 |url=http://www.naenara.com.kp/main/index/en/politics?arg_val=leader3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |script-title=ko:사회주의헌법 |at=제6장, 제1절, 제89조 |access-date=6 March 2021 |url=http://www.naenara.com.kp/main/index/ko/politics?arg_val=leader3|language=ko}}</ref>
| [[Supreme People's Assembly]]
|-
| {{flag|Panama}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[National Assembly of Panama|National Assembly]]
|-
| {{flag|Paraguay}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay|Chamber of Deputies]] 
|-
| {{flag|Portugal}}
| ''{{Lang|pt|Deputado}}''
| [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]]
|-
| {{flag|Romania}}
| ''{{Lang|ro|Deputat}}''
| [[Chamber of Deputies of Romania|Chamber of Deputies]]
|-
| {{flag|Russia}}
| ''{{Lang|ru|Депутат|italic=no}}'' ({{Lang|ru-latn|deputat}})
| [[State Duma]] and regional legislative bodies
|-
| {{flag|Somalia}}
| ''Deputy''
| [[Federal Parliament of Somalia|Federal Parliament]]
|-
| {{flag|Spain}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[Congress of Deputies (Spain)|Congress of Deputies]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{THA}}
|Senator ({{Lang|th|วุฒิสมาชิก; ส.ว.|italic=no}})
|[[Senate of Thailand|Senate]]
|-
|Member of the H.R. ({{Lang|th|สมาชิกสภาผู้แทนราษฎร; ส.ส.|italic=no}})
|[[House of Representatives (Thailand)|House of Representatives]]
|-
| {{flag|Ukraine}}
| [[People's Deputy of Ukraine]] (''{{Lang|uk|Депутат|italic=no}}'')
| {{Lang|uk-latn|[[Verkhovna Rada]]|italic=no}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |{{Flag|United Kingdom}}
|[[Lords Spiritual]] and [[Lords Temporal]]
|[[House of Lords]]
|-
|[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament (MP)]]
|[[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]
|-
|rowspan="2" |{{Flag|United States of America}}
|[[United_States_Senate#Membership|Senator]]
|[[United States Senate|Senate]]
|-
|Representative; Congressperson
|[[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
|-
|{{Flag|Uruguay}}
|{{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
|[[Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay|Chamber of Representatives]]
|-
| {{flag|Venezuela}}
| {{Lang|es|Diputado/Diputada}}
| [[National Assembly of Venezuela|National Assembly]]
|-
| {{flag|Vietnam}}
| {{Lang|vi|Đại biểu Quốc hội}}
| [[National Assembly of Vietnam|National Assembly]]
|}

== Substitute legislator ==
Some legislatures provide each legislator with an official "substitute legislator" (or "alternate") who deputises for the legislator in the legislature if the elected representative is unavailable. [[Venezuela]], for example, provides for substitute legislators (''{{Lang|es|diputado suplente}}'') to be elected under Article 186 of its [[Constitution of Venezuela|1999 constitution]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Asamblea Nacional Constituyente |url=http://www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/constitucion1999.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417173551/http://www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/constitucion1999.htm |archive-date=2014-04-17 |access-date=2014-04-12 |publisher=Tribunal Supremo de Justicia}}</ref> [[Ecuador]], [[Panama]], and the U.S. state of [[Idaho]] also have substitute legislators.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Russell |first1=Betsy |title=Idaho's substitute law unique |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/mar/16/idahos-substitute-law-unique/ |access-date=16 October 2022 |website=Spokesman Review |date=16 March 2014}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of legislatures by country]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*{{Wikiquote-inline|Legislators}}

{{Subject bar |portal1=Law  |portal2= Politics |portal3= Biography}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Legislators| ]]
[[Category:Legislatures|*Legislature]]
[[Category:Management occupations]]
[[Category:Legal professions]]
[[Category:Political occupations]]
[[Category:Positions of authority]]