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This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Parliament name - More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete / House of Peoples' Representatives Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Yefedereshein Mekir Bete / House of the Federation Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1962 - 1975 1989 - LEADERSHIP President Abadula Gemeda Dego (M)  Notes Elected on 4 Oct. 2010, re-elected on 5 Oct. 2015. Secretary General Negus Lemma Gebre (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 547 / 547 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 212 (38.76%) Mode of designation directly elected 547 Notes Term 5 years Last renewal dates 24 May 2015 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address House of Peoples´ Representatives of FDRE P.O. Box 80001 ADDIS ABABA (Export mailing lists) Phone (251 111) 241 000 241 016 241 006 Fax (251 111) 241 004 E-mail officeofthespeaker@yahoo.com Website http://www.hopr.gov.et/

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete / House of Peoples' Representatives Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Yefedereshein Mekir Bete / House of the Federation LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 23 August 1993 Mode of designation directly elected 547 Constituencies 547 single-member constituencies. Voting system Majority: Single member plurality systems ("first past the post"). Vacancies which arise between general elections are filled through by elections held within three months. Voting is not compulsory. Voter requirements - Age: at least 18 years old - Ethiopian nationality - Residence of at least six months in constituency - Disqualifications: insanity, imprisonment CANDIDATES Eligibility - Qualified electors - Age: at least 21 years - Ethiopian nationality - Regular residence in constituency where candidate is running for at least 2 years immediately preceding polling date. However, there is no requirement of residence if candidate is running for the constituency of the candidate’s place of birth or the place where the candidate has been regularly working for at least two years preceding polling date. Incompatibilities - Members of the House of Federation - Judges and prosecutors who have not resigned - Military and paramilitary personnel Candidacy requirements - Nominated by individual citizens or political organizations. - No support or signature is needed for candidates running under banner of political parties. - When running as independent candidates, candidacy must be supported by at least 1,000 qualified electors from the constituency.

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete / House of Peoples' Representatives Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Yefedereshein Mekir Bete / House of the Federation BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 24 May 2015 Timing and scope of renewal Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn's Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and its allies won all seats in the House of Peoples' Representatives. Two main opposition groups rejected the election results, arguing that their supporters were harassed. Those groups were Medrek ('Forum', founded in 2008 (see note)) and the Semayawi party ('Blue Party', established in 2012). No international observers monitored the elections. The African Union said the elections were "generally peaceful and calm ". The elections were the first to be held under Prime Minister Desalegn. He succeeded Mr. Meles Zenawi, the long-serving Prime Minister and former President, who died in office in 2012. The EPRDF has been in power since 1991. During the election campaign, the party focused attention on its achievements while in government, citing stability, economic growth and development. The campaigning of opposition parties was reportedly invisible. Medrek used the slogan "I vote for clean hands" while the Semayawi party called for justice and freedom. Note: In the 2010 elections, the EPRDF and its allies took 545 of the 547 seats. Medrek, also known as the Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum (FORUM), became the sole voice of opposition represented in the outgoing legislature along with one independent member. Date of previous elections: 23 May 2010 Timing of election: Upon normal expiry Expected date of next elections: May 2020 Number of seats at stake: 547 (full renewal) Number of candidates: 1,828 (1,527 men, 301 women) Percentage of women candidates: 16.6% Number of parties contesting the election: 58* *12 parties formed three separate coalitions, resulting in 47 electoral lists in all. Number of parties winning seats: 7 Alternation of power: No Date of the first session of the new parliament: 5 October 2015 Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Abadula Gemeda Dego (Oromo People's Democratic Organization, OPDO, which is a part of the EPRDF) STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 24 May 2015 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 36'851'461 34'351'444 (93.22%) Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) Somali Peoples Democratic Party (SPDP) Benishengul Gumuz Peoples Democratic party (BGPDP) Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP) Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement (GPUDM) Harrari National League (HNL) Argoba People's Democratic Organization (APDO) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) 501 Somali Peoples Democratic Party (SPDP) 24 Benishengul Gumuz Peoples Democratic party (BGPDP) 9 Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP) 8 Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement (GPUDM) 3 Harrari National League (HNL) 1 Argoba People's Democratic Organization (APDO) 1 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 335 212 38.76% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Note on the Distribution of seats: The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) comprises four parties: the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), the Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) and the South Ethiopia People's Democratic Movement. (source: http://www.eprdf.org.et/) Sources: House of Peoples' Representatives (01.07.2015, 02.10.2015, 06.10.2015) http://www.electionethiopia.org/en/

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete / House of Peoples' Representatives Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Yefedereshein Mekir Bete / House of the Federation APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title Speaker of the House of People's Representatives Term - duration: 5 years (term of House) - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution Appointment - elected by all the Members of the House - election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected House or when a vacancy occurs Eligibility - any Member can be a candidate - formal notification is required - candidatures must be deposited at least two months before the election Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot - 2/3 majority is required in the first round Procedures / results - the Head of the electorate board presides over the House during the voting - the electorate board supervises the voting - the electorate board announces the results within a month time STATUS Status - ranks third in the hierarchy of the State - in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions Board Material facilities NA (no information received) 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 request 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 - makes announcements concerning the House - 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 - has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates Special powers - is responsible for establishing 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 House Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes the floor in legislative debates - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion - proposes bills or amendments - intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete / House of Peoples' Representatives Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Yefedereshein Mekir Bete / House of the Federation NATURE Nature of the mandate · Free representation (see Art. 50 (3) and 54 (4) of the Constitution of 21.08.1995) Start of the mandate · On the day when the newly elected Parliament meets Validation of mandates · No validation End of the mandate · On the day when the newly elected Parliament meets (for early dissolution, see Art. 60 of the Constitution) Can MPs resign? Yes · Of their own free will (precedents) · Procedure: by addressing Parliament at one of its sittings · Authority competent to accept the resignation: the Speaker Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Revocation before expiry of mandate by the electorate in case of loss of confidence (Art. 12 (3) and 54 (7) of the Constitution). Procedure (Art. 4 (1) to (3) of the Proclamation No. 88/1997). (b) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter for misconduct (see also Discipline and Code of conduct) STATUS OF MEMBERS Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament: · Outside Parliament: Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic or official passport · Basic salary: ETB 18,000 per year + Additional allowance: ETB 600 per year · Total exemption from tax · No pension scheme · Other facilities: (a) Official housing Obligation to declare personal assets No Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 54 (5) of the Constitution). · Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament. · Derogations: forwarding of unsubstantiated matters to the floor, untruthfulness, slander and libel (see also Art. 12 (2) 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. 54 (6) of the Constitution). · It applies only to criminal proceedings, covers all offences 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. · Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto, an MP can be arrested or prosecuted without the permission of the Council of People's Representatives. · Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal. · Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate. It does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election. · Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 54 (6) of the Constitution): - Competent authority: the Council of People's Representatives - Procedure: EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE Training · Handbooks of parliamentary procedure: Participation in the work of the Parliament NA (no information received) Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in ... · Disciplinary measures foreseen - Order to leave the sitting - Order to present apologies - Fines - Suspension from Parliament - Exclusion from Parliament · Specific cases: - Offence or insult · Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: - The Council of People's Representatives, on recommendation of a Committee of Inquiry · Procedure Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system · Penalties foreseen for violation of the code of conduct - Verbal warning - Written warning - Open warning - Suspension from Parliament - Exclusion from Parliament · Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Council of People's Representatives · Procedure. In this case, MPs have means of recourse. Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 6 October 2015
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