| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
House of Representatives
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the Senate |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all the Senators
- the election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected Senate or when a vacancy occurs
- before the Members are sworn in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Senator (except a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary) can be a candidate
- candidatures must be submitted by a third party who is himself a Senator
- candidatures must be seconded by another Senator
|
| Voting system |
- if only one candidature is submitted : the candidate is elected without a vote or debate
- if several candidatures are submitted : a secret ballot is taken for each candidates in the order of their registration until one of them is elected.
|
| Procedures / results |
- the Clerk presides over the Senate during the voting
- the Clerk announces the results without any delay
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks 4th after the Head of State, the Prime minister and the Chief Justice
- the President of the Senate has precedence over the Speaker of the House of Representatives
- represents the Senate with the public authorities
- represents the Senate in international bodies
- in the absence of the President, the Vice-President can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
|
| Material facilities |
NA (no information received) |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organises the debates and sets speaking time
- 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 Senate
- is responsible for discipline within the Senate: 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 Senate
- supervises the services of the Senate
- 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 Senate
|
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes part in voting only in the event of tie |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
