| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Parlamentul României / Parliament of Romania |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Senatul / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Camera Deputatilor / Chamber of Deputies
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the Senate |
| Term |
- duration: 4 years (term of House), may be prolonged in the event of war or catastrophe
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, disenfranchisement, incompatibility, death, suspension subsequently to grave acts infringing upon constitutional provisions while ensuring the interim as President of Romania, ( the dissolution does not automatically interrupt the status of President of the Senate),
- term is prolonged until the newly elected Senate legally meets, upon request of the President of Romania and within 20 days from the date of the elections |
| Appointment |
- elected by the Senate plenum after the legal constitution of the Senate
- after 2/3 of the number of Senator's mandates have been validated |
| Eligibility |
- any Senator whose mandate has been validated - in practice, each parliamentary group makes a proposal |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot at one or two rounds
- the candidate who obtains a majority of votes shall be declared elected - if no candidate obtains the majority, a second ballot is held between the two candidates who obtained the largest number of votes |
| Procedures / results |
- the oldest Senator -the senior Speaker- presides over the Senate during the voting
- 4 Secretaries, who assist the senior Speaker, supervise the voting
- one of the Secretaries announces the results
- no procedure is foreseen for challenging the results |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks second in the hierarchy of State, after the President of Romania, whom he replaces on a temporary basis, and before the President of the Chamber of Deputies (joint sittings of both Chambers are alternatively presided by the President of the Chamber of Deputies and the President of the Senate)
- represents the Senate within internal and foreign relations
- ensures the link between the Senate and the President of Romania, the Chamber of Deputies, the Government, the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Justice
- in the Speaker's absence , the Deputy Speakers accomplish the Speaker's duties , in the order established by the Standing Bureau |
| Board |
- the Standing Bureau of the Senate is composed of 11 persons (1 Président, 4 Deputy Chairmen, 4 Secretaries and 2 Questors ) elected from the nominees made by the leaders of the parliamentary groups, according to the political configuration of the Senate, as resulted from elections
- meets every week at the initiative of the President of the Senate
- its main powers cover the conduct of parliamentary proceedings and the organization of the services of the Senate |
| Material facilities |
- monthly allowance of 1,000,500 lei (April 1995)
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- physical and military protection |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
The Standing Bureau:
- establishes and modifies the agenda |
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly - according the importance, these are done by one of the Secretaries
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- gives and withdraws permission to speak, Secretaries establishe the list of speakers,
- 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
- precises, before the beginning of the proceedings , if there is a legal quorum
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates |
| Special powers |
- proposes the Clerk who is appointed by the Senate plenum
(the Quaestors and the Secretary General draw up the Senate's budget, the Standing Bureau and the Secretary General are in charge of the staff and the Standing Bureau checks over the services of the Senate)
Others powers :
- is responsible of the relations with forein 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 |
- takes the floor in legislative debates
- proposes bills or amendments
- takes part in voting
- intervenes in the case of interpellation
- signs laws before transmitting them to the President of the Republic for promulgation
- has the right to intimate the Constitutional Court with regard to the constitutionality of laws
- must be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution...) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
