The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 is a law in the United Kingdom that established a system of regular elections for the House of Commons every five years. Before this act, the Prime Minister could call for an election at any time, leading to uncertainty about when elections would occur. The act aimed to create stability in the political system by setting fixed dates for general elections. Under this act, elections are scheduled for the first Thursday in May, starting in 2015. However, there are exceptions that allow for earlier elections, such as a two-thirds majority vote in the House of Commons or a vote of no confidence in the government.