| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
House of Representatives |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Senate
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years renewable (term of legislature);
- reasons for interruption of the term: loss of parliamentary mandate, appointment as Minister or Under-Secretary of State (if elected among MPs), dissolution, loss of citizenship, exclusion, resignation, death, dissolution (if elected among non-MPs)
|
| Appointment |
- elected by the members of the House
- election is held at the start of the first sitting of the newly elected House
- before taking the oath
|
| Eligibility |
- any member of the House (except Ministers and Under-Secretaries of State) or any non-elected MP may be a candidate |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by public ballot if there are several candidates
- simple majority
- the Clerk proposes a vote by roll call of the candidates proposed and seconded; the first to receive the necessary majority being elected Speaker
|
| Procedures / results |
- the Clerk presides over the House during the voting
- the Clerk supervises the voting
- the Clerk announces the results immediately
- the results can be challenged
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks 5th after Head of State, Prime minister, Chief Justice and President of the Senate
- the President of the Senate has precedence over the Speaker of the House of Representatives
- represents the House with the public authorities
- is de facto President of a Committee
- represents the House in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
|
| Material facilities |
- allowance
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- additional assistants
- domestic staff
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- can appoint committees and their presidents
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the House
- is responsible for discipline within the House: if necessary, takes disciplinary measures and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up
|
| Special powers |
- takes part in establishing the budget of the House
- supervises the services of the House
- 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 |
- has casting vote |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
