# Part 03: Cortes Generales (Legislative Power)
**Articles: 66-96**

## Core Idea
The Cortes Generales represent the Spanish people and exercise legislative power. As a bicameral institution (Congress of Deputies + Senate), it approves laws, controls the Government, and has budgetary power.

## Frameworks Introduced
- **Bicameral System**: Congress of Deputies (lower house, direct election) + Senate (territorial representation)
- **Legislative Procedure**: Bill initiation, debate, approval, and promulgation
- **Government Control**: Questions, interpellations, motions of censure

## Key Concepts
- **Representative Mandate**: Members serve the general interest, not imperative mandates (Art. 67.2)
- **Inviolability & Immunity**: Legislative immunity protects members from prosecution for opinions expressed in office
- **Legislative Initiative**: Government, Congress, Senate, Autonomous Communities, and 500,000 citizens (Art. 87)
- **Organic Laws**: Require absolute majority in Congress for matters in Art. 81
- **Budget Approval**: Annual state budget law (Art. 134)

## Mental Models
- Use **Congress as primary chamber** — has final decision power on most matters
- Think of **Senate as territorial voice** — represents Autonomous Communities
- Apply **majority thresholds** — different procedures require different majorities

## Anti-patterns
- **Imperative mandate**: Deputies bound by party orders violate constitutional independence
- **Legislative bypass**: Government using decree-laws to avoid parliamentary debate

## Key Takeaways
1. Cortes Generales are the supreme representative body of the Spanish people
2. Congress and Senate have distinct but complementary roles
3. Legislative power includes law-making, control, and budget functions
4. Organic laws protect fundamental rights and institutions
5. Autonomous Communities participate in state decision-making through the Senate

## Connects To
- **Part 00**: Popular sovereignty exercised through Cortes
- **Part 04**: Government is accountable to Cortes
- **Part 05**: Government-Cortes relations in law-making