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In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.
Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time. Early dissolutions are allowed in many jurisdictions.
The Commonwealth of Australia
The House of Representatives, but not the Senate can be dissolved at any time by the Governor-General. The House expires 3 years after its first meeting if not earlier dissolved. The Senate can be dissolved by the governor-general only when the double dissolution provisions are invoked. The convention is that the governor-general must act on the advice of the Prime Minister. Although to fulfil this 'convention' in 1975 the Governor General dismissed the elected Labour Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in order to precipitate an early General Election.
Canada
The House of Commons, but not the Senate, can be dissolved at any time by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. A House of Commons that sits for a full 5 years is automatically dissolved.
The Federal Republic of Germany
A dissolution can only happen if the Chancellor loses a vote of confidence, although in 1982, Helmut Kohl deliberately lost one in order that there could be fresh elections. A similar vote happened in 2005 as a means for Chancellor Schröder to ask for early elections.
Japan
The House of Representatives, but not the House of Councillors, can be dissolved at any time by the Emperor on the advice of the Prime Minister.
New Zealand
The Parliament can be dissolved or prorogued at any time in its 3-year term by the Governor-General, usually on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Republic of Ireland
The Oireachtas can be dissolved by the President if there is a vote of no confidence in the Taoiseach, but the president may refuse to dissolve it thus preventing an election and allowing the opposition leader to form a government.
The United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister may ask the monarch to dissolve Parliament at any time, though it must be dissolved five years after the last general election as that is the maximum term a parliament may sit by virtue of the Septennial Act 1715, as amended by the Parliament Act 1911, which reduced the Septennial Act's seven-year limit.Scottish Parliament
Under the Scotland Act 1998, ordinary general elections for the Scottish Parliament are held on the first Thursday in May every four years (1999, 2003, 2007 etc.) The date of the poll may be varied by up to one month either way by the Queen on the proposal of the Presiding Officer.
If the Parliament itself resolves that it should be dissolved (with at least two-thirds of the Members voting in favour), or if the Parliament fails to nominate one of its members to be First Minister within certain time limits, the Presiding Officer proposes a date for an extraordinary general election and the Parliament is dissolved by the Queen by royal proclamation.
See also
"Dissolution of parliament"