The Alderaanian Parliament functioned as the governing body on the Core World of Alderaan. Its establishment followed the unification of the planet under King Darrus Alde's rule, occurring early in Alderaan's history, before the Galactic Republic was formed. Membership in the parliament was exclusively granted to members of Alderaan's noble houses. These noble families held the responsibility of governing the planet and selecting the reigning monarch through complex and often ruthless political maneuvers. Each house adopted the family name of its original founders, with many nobles able to trace their ancestry back through numerous generations. Nevertheless, noble lineage wasn't always a strict prerequisite for joining a house; in certain less conventional houses, it wasn't uncommon for a driven servant or farmer to elevate their social standing.
Following the Treaty of Coruscant, which marked the end of the Great Galactic War, and Alderaan's subsequent departure from the Galactic Republic, Gaul Panteer, the Crown prince of Alderaan—who was the one who removed Alderaan from the Republic in protest of the treaty—was murdered; the queen passed away shortly after.
Lacking a monarch or an heir to the throne, the parliament was then charged with the critical decision of determining which of Alderaan's noble houses would ascend to inherit the throne. The legislative body reached a stalemate, which resulted in one of the houses choosing to resolve the issue through military action. The actions of this house sparked one of the most bloodiest civil wars in galactic history.