The Mauritanian Parliament (Barlamane/Parlement) is composed of a single chamber, the National Assembly (Al Jamiya al-Wataniyah/Assemblée Nationale). Composed of 157 members, representatives are elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies. Until 2017, the parliament had an upper house, the Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh/Sénat). The Senate had 56 members, 53 members elected for a six-year term by municipal councillors with one third renewed every two years and 3 members elected by Mauritanians abroad. It was abolished in 2017, after a referendum.