| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Congreso / Congress |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Cámara de Representantes / House of Representatives |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Senado de la República / Senate
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| Term |
- duration: 1 year (term of session), expires on 20 July (ineligible for re-election)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution |
| Appointment |
- elected by the Members of the House |
| Eligibility |
- any Member may be a candidate
- notification of candidature must be made the day of the election |
| Voting system |
- free formal vote by secret or public ballot
- direct, one-round majority vote |
| Procedures / results |
- the outgoing Speaker and the Clerk preside over the House during the voting
- the Clerk supervises the voting together with the Speaker's office and the committee of tellers appointed to this end
- the Clerk announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks fourth in the hierarchy of State
- ranks second in the order of precedence between the Speakers of the two Chambers
- the Speaker of the Senate presides over joint meetings of both Chambers
- represents the House with the public authorities
- represents the House in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
- the Governing Board is set up under and regulated by a law
- consists of three Members and the Clerk: Chairman (First Deputy Speaker, Second Deputy Speaker, Clerk)
- elected for a one year term, ineligible for re-election
- meets once weekly, and at the Speaker's initiative |
| Material facilities |
- allowance equivalent to that of the members
- official car
- secretaries and advisers
- bodyguards |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to an arbitration body
- examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, 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
- 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, together with the Clerk
- 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
- has discretionary power (like any Member of the House) to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates |
| Special powers |
- is responsible for establishing the budget, together with the Budget and Financial Division
- 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 |
- takes the floor in legislative debates
- provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting as a member of the House
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure as a member of the House
- can express an opinion on the constitutionality of laws
- is not empowered to appoint the members of the Constitutional Court, but can vote for and elect the members of other courts or bodies (Comptroller-General of the Republic, Vice-President of the Republic, Magistrate of the Jurisdictional Chamber of the High Council of the Magistrature, Ombudsman, etc.) |
