This paper examines the characteristic features of parliamentary debates as a genre of political discourse, and argues that their characteristics stem from two main discursive functions: first, a legitimating function, serving to produce, support, and legitimise specific representations of the country’s social and political state of affairs in a persuasive fashion; and a legislative function by means of which different policies and actions affecting people’s lives and environment are implemented, and the government’s actions are controlled. Thus, this genre of discourse overcomes the dualism between representation and action. In this sense, parliamentary debates are speech events merging representation and performance.