Tynwald

Tynwald (Manx: Tinvaal), or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald (Manx: Ard-whaiyl Tinvaal) is the bicameral legislature of the Isle of Man. It consists of the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council. The Houses sit jointly on Tynwald Day at St John's, and on other occasions in the Legislative Buildings in Douglas. Otherwise, the two Houses sit separately, with the House of Keys originating most legislatio... more

Tynwald (Manx: Tinvaal), or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald (Manx: Ard-whaiyl Tinvaal) is the bicameral legislature of the Isle of Man. It consists of the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council. The Houses sit jointly on Tynwald Day at St John's, and on other occasions in the Legislative Buildings in Douglas. Otherwise, the two Houses sit separately, with the House of Keys originating most legislation, and the Legislative Council acting as a revising chamber. It has been argued that Tynwald is in fact tricameral because in addition to the two branches sitting separately they also sit as a single body. The name Tynwald, like the Icelandic Þingvellir, is derived from the Old Norse word Þingvǫll meaning the meeting place of the assembly, the field of the thing. When Tynwald meets annually (normally on 5 July) at an open air ceremony at Tynwald Hill at St John's, the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man presides, unless HM The Queen as Lord... less