Functional constituency

A functional constituency was a cultural or species enclave existing within the Galactic Republic or a megacorporation with holdings in Republic space that was directly represented in the Galactic Senate by a dedicated Senator.
==History==
Among a great many alterations made to the organization of the Galactic Republic in the aftermath of the New Sith Wars, the Ruusan Reformations reduced the number of constituent sectors from millions to 1,024 in total, each of which enjoyed representation in the Galactic Senate by a Senator and series of Associate Planetary Representatives. However, a loophole in the relevant legislation permitted the extension of direct representation to so-called "functional constituencies," designated special zones and districts of star systemsThe Essential Atlas that together constituted distinct cultural or species enclaves. Like the sectors in which they were situated, these functional constituencies were represented in the Senate by dedicated Senators of their own.
Over the course of the Great Peace of the Republic, megacorporations increasingly absorbed Republic member worlds into their corporate holdings as de facto possessions, effectively denying their denizens representation in the Galactic Senate. In an effort to address this issue, the Senate reclassified such megacorporations as functional constituencies in a series of reforms introduced in 124 BBY, granting them representation in the Senate. The Trade Federation was among those megacorporations granted this status in 124 BBY and promptly used its new representation to buy large blocs of votes from other less-wealthy sectors. By 32 BBY, the Trade Federation-controlled bloc was the largest voting body in the Senate.
==Sources==
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
*The Essential Atlas
*Enter the Unknown
==Notes and references==
Category:Galactic Republic laws and acts
Category:Galactic Senate organizations
Category:Phrases