| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Congreso Nacional de la República / National Congress of the Republic |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Senado / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the Senate |
| Term |
- duration: 2 years
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all the Senators
- after validation of mandates
- before Senators are sworn in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Senator can be a candidate |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot
- absolute majority in the first round, relative majority in the second round : in the event of a tie in the second round : lots will be drawn
|
| Procedures / results |
- the outgoing President, or the eldest Senator in the case of a newly elected Assembly, presides over the Senate during the voting |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- in the absence of the President, the Vice President can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
- consists of the President, a Vice President and two Secretaries
- elected for one year
|
| Material facilities |
NA (no information received) |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes extraordinary 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
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Senate
- 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
|
| Special powers |
- is responsible for establishing the budget
- heads up and oversees all of the Senate Departments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Senate |
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes the floor in legislative debates, provided that he leaves his/her seat and does not resume it until the debate has ended |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
