| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Sapha Heng Xat / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the National Assembly |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years, renewable (term of House) (re-elected on 23 February 1998)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, President's responsibility called into question, death, dissolution of the Assembly
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the Assembly
- the election is held at the beginning of the new legislature
- before validation of mandates and swearing-in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Member may be a candidate, but must give formal notification of his/her candidature before the inaugural session of the Assembly |
| Voting system |
- formal, public vote by a show of hands
- one round of voting
- a simple majority is required
|
| Procedures / results |
- the outgoing President presides over the Assembly during the voting
- the President supervises the voting
- the outgoing President announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks second in the hierarchy of the State
- may replace the Head of State in the latter's absence
- represents the Assembly with the authorities
- is ex officio a member of bodies outside Parliament
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- is ex officio chairman of committees or other bodies
- in the absence of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
- the Standing Committee is regulated by the Standing Orders
- consists of the President of the Assembly and 7 Members
- members serve a five-year term
- meets once monthly when convened by the President
- assists the President and constitutes a genuine collegial presidency
|
| Material facilities |
- allowance: 300,000 kips per month
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- additional staff
- domestic personnel
- bodyguards
|
| 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
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- 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 texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
|
| Special powers |
- advises with regard to the establishment of the budget
- examines the proposal made by the Secretariat Commission of the Standing Committee for the recruitment, assignment and promotion of staff
- appoints the Clerk after having consulted the Standing Committee
- organizes the services of Parliament after having consulted the Standing Committee
- plays a specific role in the conduct of foreign affairs or defence matters
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for security, 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
- ensures the constitutionality of laws
- may appoint members of the Constitutional Court
- is consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution, appointment of the Prime Minister, etc.)
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
