| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Congreso de la Unión / Congress of the Union |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Cámara de Senadores / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the Senate |
| Term |
- duration: 1 year (may not be re-elected to this post for the duration of the session)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, removal for repeated failure to observe the provisions of the Organic Law, death
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all Senators
- following swearing-in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Senator may be a candidate |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot in one round
- a simple majority is required
|
| Procedures / results |
- the outgoing President presides over the Senate during the voting
- the Governing Board supervises the voting
- the outgoing President announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- represents the Senate with the authorities
- represents the Senate in international bodies
- the Presidents of the two Chambers hold the same rank in the order of precedence
- the President of the Chamber of Deputies presides over joint sittings
- in the absence of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
- the Governing Board is regulated by the Standing Orders
- consists of the President and as many Vice-Presidents as there are parliamentary groups, four secretaries and four under-secretaries
- meets at the initiative of the President
- is responsible for advising the President
|
| Material facilities |
- allowance
+ expense allowance
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- bodyguards
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- 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
- may appoint 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 Senate
- 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 Senate
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
|
| Special powers |
- submits the budget established by the Administration Committee to the Senate for approval
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Senate
|
| 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
- signs the texts adopted before transmitting them to the Head of State for promulgation
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
