| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Il Parlamento / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Camera dei Deputati / Chamber of Deputies |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Senato della Repubblica / Senate
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the Chamber of Deputies |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House) - normally remains in his post until the new Chamber has been installed
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, cessation of mandate (incompatibility), death, dissolution of the Chamber |
| Appointment |
- elected by all the Members of the Chamber at the start of each new legislature
- prior to validation of mandates |
| Eligibility |
any Member of the Chamber |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot, in several rounds
- two-thirds majority required in the first and second rounds, an absolute majority in the third |
| Procedures / results |
- the provisional President (oldest Member) presides over the Chamber during the voting
- the provisional President, assisted by the four provisional Secretaries, supervises the voting
- the provisional President announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks second in the hierarchy of the State, on the same level as the President of the Senate (the role of acting Head of State is reserved for the President of the Senate)
- in the order of precedence, the oldest of the Presidents of the two Houses comes first
- presides over joint sittings of both Houses
- presides over the Board of the Presidency, the Standing Orders Committee and the Conference of leaders of parliamentary groups
- represents the Chamber with the public authorities
- in the absence of the Speaker, one of the four Vice-Presidents can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
- the Board consists of 4 Vice-Presidents, 3 Questors and at least 8 secretaries, and each parliamentary group must be represented - their term is identical to that of the legislature and lasts up until the first meeting of the new Chamber
- meets at the initiative of the President without any particular frequency
- is empowered to deal with administrative, financial and organizational matters |
| Material facilities |
- allowance
+ expense allowance, equivalent to that of the President of the Council of Ministers (Lit. 5,917,511, tax-free)
- official residence
- official car with chaffeur
- air transport
- secretariat
- bodyguards |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes the sittings of the Chamber
- organizes the debates and sets the speaking time allotted to each group, in collaboration with the Conference of Presidents
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study - if a text is challenged by a leader of a group, the President must have the Chamber deliberate it
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes certain announcements concerning the Chamber
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- gives and withdraws permission to speak depending on the agenda
- can moderate discussions and change the order in which amendments are taken up
- organizes votes according to the Standing Orders, proclaims the results, and may cancel a vote in the event of irregularities
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates, assisted by a Secretary
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Chamber
- may, in certain cases covered by the Standing Orders, give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates |
| Special powers |
- nominates the Secretary General to the Board of the Presidency
- 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, on behalf of the Chamber, present the final version of a text which has already been approved |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
