| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Nitijela / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of Parliament |
| Term |
- duration: 4 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Parliament
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the Parliament
- election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected Parliament
- after Members' mandates are validated and before Members are sworn in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Member of the Parliament may be a candidate
- formal notification is required
- deadline for notification: 60 days prior to the general election
|
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot
- one round by simple majority
|
| Procedures / results |
- the former Speaker presides over the Parliament during the voting
- the Clerk supervises the voting
- the Clerk announces the results without any delay
- the results can be challenged by the Members of the Parliament
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- may be called upon as acting Head of State when the President dies
- represents the Parliament with the public authorities
- is ex officio member of bodies outside Parliament
- represents the Parliament in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
|
| Material facilities |
- bi-weekly payment from the Government
- sitting allowance
- housing allowance
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
|
| 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 with the Legislative Counsel of the Parliament
- 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
- may appoint committees and/or their presiding officers
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes, as well as the Clerk, announcements concerning the Parliament
- 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
- may interpret the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Parliament, but it is the responsability of the Legislative Counsel of the Parliament
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates |
| Special powers |
- establishes public hearings with the Parliament's Budget Committee
- recruits, assigns and promotes staff in consultation with the Public Service Commission
- makes recommendation of his selection of the Clerk, then informs the Public Service Commission of the selection
- 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 Parliament
|
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- proposes bills or amendments; establishes rules and regulations for the Parliament
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- must be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution...)
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
