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Politics & Government vocabulary · Parliament and Legislation

Amendment

Meaning in politics & government, with examples

/əˈmendmənt/nounCore term

In politics & government, amendment means: A change made to a bill, a law or a constitution, or a formal proposal for such a change that is discussed and voted on.

In Turkish: değişiklik, değişiklik önergesi

How it is used

MPs table, propose, debate, accept or reject amendments to a bill. A constitutional amendment changes the constitution and usually needs a larger majority or a referendum. In the United States, the numbered changes to the constitution have names such as the First Amendment.

Example sentences

  1. The opposition tabled an amendment to delay the new tax by one year.

  2. A constitutional amendment requires the support of two-thirds of MPs.

Common collocations

  • table an amendment
  • constitutional amendment
  • accept an amendment
  • propose an amendment
  • amendment to the bill
  • billA written proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law, which parliament discusses and votes on before it can become law.
  • constitutionThe basic set of laws and principles that sets out how a state is organized, what powers its institutions have and what rights its citizens enjoy.
  • legislationLaws in general, or a particular law or group of laws made by a parliament or other law-making body; also the process of making them.
  • committeeA small group of members of parliament or another body who examine bills, investigate issues and report back on a particular area of work.
  • referendumA vote in which all citizens can decide directly on a single political question, such as a constitutional change, usually by answering yes or no.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Parliament and Legislation

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