| Parliament name |
- |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| Term |
- duration: 1 year, renewable
- reasons for interruption of the term: death, resignation, dissolution of the Assembly |
| Appointment |
- elected by all the Members of the Assembly
- election is held during the first meeting of its annual ordinary session, before any debate takes place
- before the Members' mandates are validated and after Members are sworn in |
| Eligibility |
- any Member may be a candidate
- candidatures have to be submitted to the Chairman of the inaugural sitting (the oldest Member)
- the deadline for notification of candidature is determined by the Chairman of the inaugural sitting |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot
- absolute majority of valid votes cast
- if no candidate obtains the required majority in the first round, a second round is held between the two candidates who obtained the largest number of votes during the first round. If another candidate had obtained the same number of votes than the two leading candidates, he is entitled to run in the second round. For this special situation, vote is held according to the proportional majority. |
| Procedures / results |
- the oldest Member, assisted by the two youngest Members, presides over the Assembly during the voting
- an ad hoc Committee proposed by the President of the sitting supervises the voting
- the oldest Member immediately announces the result of the election
- the results cannot be challenged |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks second in the hierarchy of State after the Head of State as he/she shall be the acting Head of State in case of a vacancy
- presides over joint meetings of the People's Assembly and the Shoura Council
- represents the Assembly with public authorities
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- is ex-officio President of the General Committee and the Assembly Bureau
- chairs the committees meetings he/she attends
- in the absence of the Speaker, one of the Deputy Speakers can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
- Bureau of the Assembly
- is regulated by the Constitution and the Rules of Procedures
- consists of the Speaker and two Deputy-Speakers elected by absolute majority of valid votes the same day than the Speaker; term of 1 year
- convened by the Speaker for statutory and extraordinary meetings
|
| Material facilities |
- same allowance than the one received by the Vice-President of the Republic |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- establishes and modifies the agenda with the assistance of two Members of the Bureau, giving priority to bills submitted by the Government and already studied by committees
- 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 enquiry
- can select the Chairperson and members of committees
- can select up to 5 Members of the Assembly General Committee |
| Chairing of public sittings |
- opens, adjourns and closes 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
- 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 (e.g. show of hands, sitting and standing, roll call), verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates, together with the Secretary General, 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
- is responsible for the safety within the Assembly building |
| Special powers |
- is responsible for establishing the Assembly's budget within the frameworkof the Assembly Bureau
- supervises the general secretariat
- nominates the Secretary General whom is appointed by a decree of the Assembly Bureau
- organizes the services of Parliament
- 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 |
- may takes the floor to express a point of view and vacates the Chair for this purpose
- provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting, and vacates the Chair for this purpose
- proposes bills or amendments, and vacates the Chair for this purpose
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- ensures the constitutionality of laws by ascertaining that the Assembly's work conforms to the provisions of the Constitution, the law and the Assembly's Rules. |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
