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CABO VERDE
Assembleia Nacional (National Assembly)

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assembleia Nacional / National Assembly
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Structure of parliament Unicameral
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1982 -
LEADERSHIP
President Jorge Santos (M) 
Notes Elected on 20 Apr. 2016.
Secretary General Libéria Brito (F) 
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 72 / 72
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


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Women (current number) 17 (23.61%)
Mode of designation directly elected 72
Notes Six members represent Cabo Verdean citizens abroad: two each from the Americas, the rest of Africa and Europe.
Term 5 years
Last renewal dates 20 March 2016
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address Assembleia Nacional
Caixa postal No 20-A
Achada de Santo Antonio
PRAIA
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (238) 260 80 00
260 80 31
Fax (238) 262 26 60
262 28 98
E-mail ancv@parlamento.cv
Website
http://www.parlamento.cv

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assembleia Nacional / National Assembly
Structure of parliament Unicameral
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 30 December 1994
Last modification: 2000
Mode of designation directly elected 72
Constituencies 16 multi-member constituencies with 2 to 15 seats each, depending on the population
Voting system Proportional: Proportional representation; closed party-list system (cumulative voting) using the d'Hondt method
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by substitutes elected at the same time as titular members.
There are no reserved seats for women, ethnic minorities or other categories.
Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - age: 18
- Cape Verdean citizenship
- disqualifications: persons under special guardianship, insanity, criminal conviction
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - qualified electors
- age: 18
- Cape Verdean citizenship
- ineligibilities: persons under special guardianship, insanity, criminal conviction
Incompatibilities - government members
- judges
- diplomats
- members of the armed forces on active duty
- members of the Council of the Republic (except for the President of the National Assembly)
- members of the National Electoral Commission
Candidacy requirements - Candidates names must be submitted by political parties on lists of as many candidates as there are seats to be filled in each constituency, 50 to 40 days before the elections.

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assembleia Nacional / National Assembly
Structure of parliament Unicameral
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 20 March 2016
Timing and scope of renewal The Movement for Democracy (MpD), led by Mr. Ulisses Correia e Silva, regained power after 15 years in opposition. It won 40 seats in the 72-member National Assembly, ousting the African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV, see note) led by Ms. Janira Hopffer Almada. She has succeeded Prime Minister José Maria Pereira Neves as party leader in December. During the election campaign, the major parties focused on economic growth, unemployment and poverty.

On 22 April, President Jorge Carlos Fonseca (elected in 2011 with the backing of the MPD) swore in Mr. Correia e Silva as new Prime Minister.

Note:
The Republic of Cabo Verde changed its official name from The Republic of Cape Verde on 24 October 2013.
Date of previous elections: 6 February 2011

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Expected date of next elections: March 2021

Number of seats at stake: 72 (full renewal)

Number of candidates: 551 (478 men, 73 women)

Percentage of women candidates: 13.2%

Number of parties contesting the election: 6

Number of parties winning seats: 3

Alternation of power: Yes

Number of parties in government: 1

Names of parties in government: Movement for Democracy (MpD)

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 20 April 2016

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Jorge Santos (Movement for Democracy, MpD)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 120 March 2016
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
347'622
229'337 (65.97%)

Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Movement for Democracy (MpD)
African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV)
Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID)
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
Movement for Democracy (MpD) 40
African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV) 29
Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) 3
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
57

17

23.61%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
National Assembly (07.04.2016, 27.04.2016)
http://www.cne.cv/index.php

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assembleia Nacional / National Assembly
Structure of parliament Unicameral
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title Speaker of the National Assembly
Term - duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution
Appointment - elected by all the members whose mandate has been validated
- election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected Assembly or when a vacancy occurs
- after members are sworn in
- after validation of mandates
Eligibility - any member may be a candidate
- candidatures must be supported by a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 members
- candidatures must be deposited at least one hour before the election
Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot
- absolute majority in the first round, second round between the two leading candidates from the first round
Procedures / results - the outgoing Speaker presides over the Assembly during the voting
- a Committee established for the occasion and composed of members representing all parties supervises the voting
STATUS
Status - ranks second in the hierarchy of the State
- represents the Assembly with the public authorities
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speakers (by order of their ranks) can assume his/her role and functions
Board - is regulated by the Standing Orders
- consists of the Speaker, two Deputy Speakers and two Secretaries
Material facilities - allowance : 95% of the salary of the President of the Republic
- expense allowance : 387 600 US dollars
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda, in the framework of the Standing Orders
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of inquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees
Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
Special powers - recruits, assigns and promotes staff
- appoints the Clerk
- organizes the services of the Assembly
- the Board is responsible with regard to :
* the establishment of the budget
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assembleia Nacional / National Assembly
Structure of parliament Unicameral
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation (Art. 174 of the Constitution of 25.09.1992)
Start of the mandate · From the day when the newly elected Parliament meets (Art. 175 (1) of the Constitution)
Validation of mandates · Validation by the National Assembly, on the recommendation of a Committee for the Verification of Powers
· Procedure
End of the mandate · On the day when the newly elected Parliament meets (Art. 175 (1) of the Constitution), also in case of dissolution (Art. 156 (3) of the Constitution) (for dissolution, see Art. 155 and 156 of the Constitution)
Can MPs resign? Yes · Yes, of their own free will
· Procedure
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the agreement of the National Assembly is not required.
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter:
- Loss for non-attendance of the meetings of the National Assembly (Art. 182 (1) (a) of the Constitution)
- Loss for failure to exercise the mandate and functions for which the MP was designated by the Assembly (Art. 182 (1) (b) of the Constitution)
- Loss by judicial sentencing to an undeferred prison term as punishment for an intentional offence (Art. 182 (1) (c) of the Constitution)
- Loss for registration with a party other than the one from which the deputy was elected (Art. 182 (1) (d) of the Constitution)
- Loss for ineligibility or incompatibility/incapacity (Art. 176 and 182 (2) of the Constitution)
- General procedure: the plenary sitting declares the MP's loss of mandate, on a proposal by the Standing Committee.
(b) Loss of mandate for crime or illegal act (Art. 135 (2) and (3) of the Constitution)
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy
Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic passport
· Basic salary: according to function
+ Representation allowance for full-time MPs:
- 20% of the basic salary (President)
- 15% of the basic salary (Vice-Presidents, chairpersons of parliamentary groups and members of standing committees
· Pension scheme: compulsory deduction from deputies' salaries for the deputies' pension fund
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat and assistants for Board members, chairpersons of parliamentary groups and presidents of standing committees
(b) Official housing for the President, Vice-Presidents and secretaries (Board)
(c) Car fleet for full-time MPs. Official car for the President, Vice-Presidents and secretaries (Board)
(d) Security guards for the President
(e) Postal and telephone services
(f) Travel and transport (Art. 178 (2) (a) of the Constitution)
(g) Other: installation allowance at the start of the mandate and reintegration allowance at the end of the mandate
Obligation to declare personal assets Yes
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 136 (1) and Art. 181 (1) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament.
· Derogations: political, civil and penal responsibility for actions or omissions committed in the exercise of office (Art. 135 of the Constitution)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 136 (1) and Art. 181 (2) of the Constitution).
· It applies only to criminal proceedings, covers all offences with the exception of particularly grave infractions and protects MPs from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, from the opening of judicial proceedings against them and from their homes being searched. It also applies to candidates (Art. 114 of the Constitution).
· Derogations: the authorisation of the National Assembly is not necessary, in case of flagrante delicto, for an offence punishable by a prison term with a maximum in excess of two years and, apart from flagrante delicto, for offences punishable by a prison term with a maximum in excess of eight years' imprisonment (Art. 177 (4), Art. 181 (2) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary inviolability prevents MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal without the authorisation of the National Assembly.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate and also covers judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 181 (2) of the Constitution), except for candidates (Art. 114 of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the National Assembly
- Procedure (Art. 181 (3) of the Constitution).
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is no training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs, nor is there a handbook of parliamentary procedure.
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings and committee meetings (Art. 180 (a) of the Constitution).
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation (Art. 182 (1) (a) of the Constitution): loss of mandate (see Loss for non-attendance for meetings of the National Assembly)
· Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the National Assembly
Discipline
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system, but see Obligation to declare personal assets, Loss for failure to exercise of the mandate and functions to which the deputy was appointed by the Assembly, and Loss for incompatibility/incapacity.
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are two legal provisions in this field (Art. 125 (2) and 126 (1) of the Constitution; ban on certain names for political parties or the formation of certain parties).

This page was last updated on 28 April 2016
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