IPU Logo    INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION
>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE  
   HOME -> PARLINE -> ALGERIA (Majlis al-Oumma)
Print this pagePrint this page
PARLINE database new searchNew search
ALGERIA
Majlis al-Oumma (Council of the Nation)

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Barlaman / Parliament
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Oumma / Council of the Nation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Al-Majlis Al-Chaabi Al-Watani / National People's Assembly
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1977 - 1991
1993 -
LEADERSHIP
President Abdelkader Bensalah (M) 
Notes Re-elected on 10 Jan. 2010, 9 Jan. 2013 and 10 Jan. 2016.
Secretary General Mohamed Drissi Dada (M) 
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 144 / 143
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


More statistics  >>>
Women (current number) 10 (6.99%)
Mode of designation indirectly elected 96
appointed 48
Notes Indirectly elected members: elected by the People's Communal Assemblies and the People's Wilaya Assembly.
Appointed members: appointed by the President.
Term 6 years; one-half of the members being renewed every 3 years
Last renewal dates 29 December 2015
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address Conseil de la Nation
7, boulevard Zirout Youcef
ALGER
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (213 21) 74 60 85
74 60 22
Fax (213 21) 74 60 79
74 61 02
E-mail sg@majliselouma.dz
Website
http://www.majliselouma.dz/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name (generic / translated) Barlaman / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Oumma / Council of the Nation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Al-Majlis Al-Chaabi Al-Watani / National People's Assembly
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 6 March 1997
Mode of designation indirectly elected 96
appointed 48
Constituencies 48 multi-member (2 seats) corresponding to country's wilayas (administrative districts).
Voting system Majority: Indirect election by simple majority vote by electoral college composed of members of local councils: each wilaya's people's assembly and communal people's assemblies; these altogether number 15,003.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections.
Voting is compulsory.
Voter requirements - members of each wilaya's people's assembly and communal people's assemblies
CANDIDATES
Eligibility Qualified electors
- age: 40 years
- Algerian citizenship by birth or possessed for at least 5 years
- fulfilment of military service or excused therefrom
Incompatibilities - judges
- members of the armed forces
- officials of security forces
- accountants of wilaya public funds
- high-ranking wilaya officials
- membership of another people's assembly
Candidacy requirements - candidatures must be submitted at least 15 days before polling

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name (generic / translated) Barlaman / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Oumma / Council of the Nation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Al-Majlis Al-Chaabi Al-Watani / National People's Assembly
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 29 December 2015
Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for half of the 96 elected seats of the Council of the Nation on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
(not applicable - indirect elections)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 129 December 2015
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes



Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Appointed members
National Democratic Rally (RND)
National Liberation Front (FLN)
Independents
Socialist Forces Front (FFS)
El Fedjr El Jadid Party ("New Dawn", PFJ)
Algerian Popular Movement (MPA)
El-Moustakbel Front ("Future", FM)
AHD 54
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats Seats 2015
Appointed members 47 23
National Democratic Rally (RND) 42 18
National Liberation Front (FLN) 40 23
Independents 6 4
Socialist Forces Front (FFS) 4 2
El Fedjr El Jadid Party ("New Dawn", PFJ) 1 1
Algerian Popular Movement (MPA) 1 0
El-Moustakbel Front ("Future", FM) 1 0
AHD 54 1 0
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
133

10

6.99%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Note:
Half (48) of the 96 indirectly elected members, and half (24) of the 48 appointed members are renewed every 3 years.

No women were elected in December 2015.
In January 2016, the President appointed 17 members, including four women. In February, he appointed eight more members, including two women.
As at 13 February 2016, there were ten women, all appointed, out of the 143 members, with one vacancy among the 24 members to be appointed in 2015-2016 renewal.

Sources:
Council of the Nation (07.01.2016, 12.01.2016, 13.02.2016, 14.02.2016)
http://www.aps.dz

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name (generic / translated) Barlaman / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Oumma / Council of the Nation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Al-Majlis Al-Chaabi Al-Watani / National People's Assembly
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation
Start of the mandate · When the legislature holds its first sitting (see Art. 113 (1) and (3) of the Constitution of 08.12.1996)
Validation of mandates · Validation by the Council of the Nation on the recommendation of an ad hoc committee for the validation of mandates (Art. 104 of the Constitution)
· Procedure (Art. 6 to 9 of the Standing Orders of the Council of the Nation)
End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends (for this, see Art. 102 (2) and (3) of the Constitution)
Can MPs resign? Yes · Yes, of their own free will
· Procedure (see also Art. 108 of the Constitution): persons wishing to resign must address a request to that effect in writing to the President of the Council of the Nation.
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the President of the Council of the Nation
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter:
- Revocation of mandate: the Council of the Nation may, upon the pronouncement of a final decision, exclude one of its members who has committed an act unworthy of a member (misdemeanour or crime) (Art. 107 of the Constitution, Art. 94 to 96 of the Standing Orders of the Council of the Nation; Procedure).
- Forfeiture of mandate: the Council of the Nation may, by a majority of its members, exclude one of its members if he no longer fulfils the conditions for eligibility (Art. 106 of the Constitution). See also Consequences of the declaration of personal assets.
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament:
1. The President of the Council of the Nation
2. The Vice-Presidents of the Council of the Nation
3. The leaders of the parliamentary groups
4. The Presidents of the standing committees
Indemnities, facilities and services · The special status of MPs is in the process of being worked out.
Obligation to declare personal assets Yes
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept exists (Art. 109 of the Constitution).
· Derogations: offence or insult (Art. 99, N° 4 of the Standing Orders of the Council of the Nation; Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept exists (Art. 110 of the Constitution).
· It applies to criminal and civil proceedings, covers all offences (with the exception of minor infractions (e.g. traffic violations; generally fines).
· Derogations: in cases involving flagrante delicto misdemeanours or crimes, members of the Council of the Nation may be arrested (Art. 111 (1) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal. However, MPs may respond in writing to questions put by a judge without having to appear in person as is generally the case for members of Government.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate. It does not automatically cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election. However, these proceedings may be suspended by the Council of the Nation.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 110 of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the Council of the Nation or the persons concerned themselves
- Procedure (Art. 110 of the Constitution, Art. 94 of the Standing Orders of the Council of the Nation): the Council of the Nation decides by a majority of its members.
· As to whether Parliament can subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions, in view of the present state of Algerian legislation, this question cannot be answered at the moment.
· Parliament can suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members (Art. 111 (2) of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the Council of the Nation
- Procedure (Art. 111 (2) in conjunction with Art. 110 of the Constitution): the Council decides by a majority of its members.
· As to whether, in the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned can be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament, in view of the present state of Algerian legislation, this question cannot be answered at the moment.
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is no training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
· Handbooks of parliamentary procedure:
- Standing Orders of the Council of the Nation
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings and committee meetings.
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in Art. 97 to 101 of the Standing Orders of the Council of the Nation.
· Disciplinary measures foreseen (Art. 97 of the Standing Orders):
- Call to order (Art. 98 (1 and 2) of the Standing Orders)
- Warning (Art. 98 (3) of the Standing Orders)
- Withdrawal of speaking rights (Art. 98 (3) of the Standing Orders)
- Prohibition on taking the floor (Art. 99 to 101 of the Standing Orders)
· Specific cases:
- Offence or insult (Art. 99, N° 4 of the Standing Orders): prohibition on taking the floor
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties:
- Call to order, naming, withdrawal of speaking rights: the President
- Prohibition on taking the floor, offence or insult: the Bureau
· Procedure:
- Call to order, naming, withdrawal of speaking rights (Art. 98 of the Standing Orders)
- Prohibition on taking the floor, offence or insult (Art. 100 and 101 of the Standing Orders)
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system but there are some relevant provisions (Art. 107 of the Constitution, Art. 94 to 96 of the Standing Orders). For the declaration of personal assets, see Obligation to declare personal assets.
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the code of conduct: loss of mandate (Art. 107 of the Constitution; revocation of mandate)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Council of the Nation
· Procedure (Art. 107 of the Constitution, Art. 94 to 96 of the Standing Orders of the Council of the Nation.
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 10 January 2018
Copyright 1996-2016 Inter-Parliamentary Union