Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Asamblea nacional del Poder popular / National Assembly of the People's Power |
Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
Title |
National Assembly of the People's Power |
Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, loss of parliamentary seat |
Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the Assembly
- election held after the validation of mandates and swearing-in |
Eligibility |
- all MPs must formally be candidates
- candidatures must be presented to the Assembly at the sitting devoted to the election and must be approved by the Assembly |
Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot
- vote by simple majority
- in case of a tie in the first round, a second round of voting is held |
Procedures / results |
- the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission presides over the Assembly during the voting
- the National Electoral Commission supervises the voting
- the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission announces the results without any delay
- the results may be challenged in case of irregularity |
STATUS |
Status |
- represents the Assembly with the public authorities
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- in the absence of the President, the Vice-President can assume his/her role and functions |
Board |
|
Material facilities |
- salary |
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 a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting-up of such committees
- may appoint committees and/or their Chairpersons |
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
- is responsible for discipline inside the Assembly
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are to be taken up
- 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 texts adopted 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 |
- oversees the execution of the Assembly's budget
- recruits, assigns and promotes staff
- the Assembly appoints the Clerk
- 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
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- decides which bills should be discussed by the Assembly |