Galactic Senate

Definition

The Galactic Senate is the central parliament of the Republic. Systems and sectors send representatives to Coruscant, where laws, crisis responses and chancellor powers are debated.

Context

In the prequels, the Senate becomes a symbol of an overwhelmed democracy: bureaucracy, lobby groups and fear of war give Palpatine more and more emergency authority.

Why it matters

Without the Senate, Palpatine’s victory is harder to understand. He does not only defeat the Republic militarily; he uses its institutions until they willingly proclaim the Empire.