Konsekwencje uchwalenia the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 dla brytyjskiej konstytucyjnej praktyki parlamentarnej

Abstract

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 received royal assent on September 15, 2011 and entered into force on that day. The assumption of the project promoters, was that passing this act would result in the repeal of the prerogative of the monarch who, on the prime minister’s advice, could at any time dissolve parliament and initiate parliamentary elections before expiry of the term for which electoral powers were granted to its members. However, on April 18, 2017, the then prime minister announced that she planned to call a snap election on June 8, 2017. The order for the general election announcement on June 8, 2017 was issued on April 25, 2017. As a result, parliament was dissolved on May 3, 2017. Considering the above, one can’t but agree with the thesis that the adoption of this law is an example of unnecessary and defective legislation, and that it is also an ineffective act insofar that while the legislative goal was to reduce the frequency of general elections and limit the instrumental influence of the prime minister on the date of dissolution of the parliament, this has not been achieved. This conclusion, along with recently observed systemic reforms and changes in the constitutional practice of the United Kingdom, also allows to say that progressing jurisdiction of the system does not always lead to the achievement of the assumed goals and changes in constitutional practice.