The system of government in the United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy. The UK
is divided into 646 parliamentary constituencies and at least every five years voters in
each constituency elect their Member of Parliament (MP) in a general election. All of the
elected MPs form the House of Commons. Most MPs belong to a political party and the
party with the largest number of MPs forms the government.

The law that requires new elections to Parliament to be held at least every five years is so
fundamental that no government has sought to change it. A Bill to change it is the only
one to which the House of Lords must give its consent.

Some people argue that the power of Parliament is lessened because of the obligation of
the United Kingdom to accept the rules of the European Union and the judgments of the
European Court, but it was Parliament itself that created these obligations.

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