The role of the upper house
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The upper house is generally cast as a chamber of review, examining legislation passed by the lower house before it can become law. In many systems it is elected on a different basis, such as by state or region, or through a different voting method entirely, which changes its overall political makeup considerably.
Because of that different composition, an upper house often does not mirror the majority that controls the lower house, giving it genuine leverage to request amendments, delay a bill, or in some systems reject it outright entirely. That friction is generally intentional rather than accidental or a simple oversight in the original design.
Critics sometimes describe a strong upper house as an obstacle to swift governing, while supporters see it as a safeguard against rushed or poorly scrutinised law. Either way, its powers and limits are usually set out clearly in a constitution or founding document that predates any single particular government of the day.