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This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Oversight modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Parliament name - More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Mustasharin / Chamber of Councillors Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Majlis Al-Nuwab / Chamber of Deputies Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1957 - LEADERSHIP President Mekki Aloui (a.i.) (M)  Secretary General Farouk Aouadi (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 126 / 112 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 17 (15.18%) Mode of designation indirectly elected 85 appointed 41 Notes Indirectly elected: elected by an electoral college composed of municipal councillors and members of regional councils. Appointed: appointed by the President of the Republic. The number of members in the Chamber of Councillors shall not exceed two-thirds of the number of members in the Chamber of Deputies. Term 6 years; one half of the members are renewed every 3 years. Last renewal dates 10 August 2008 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Chambre des Conseillers Avenue 2 mars 1934 Le Bardo - 2000 TUNIS TUNISIA (Export mailing lists) Phone (216 71) 66 22 52 Fax (216 71) 66 22 55 E-mail contact@chambredesconseillers.tn Website http://www.chambredesconseillers.tn/

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Unicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Mustasharin / Chamber of Councillors Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Majlis Al-Nuwab / Chamber of Deputies LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 4 August 2003 Mode of designation indirectly elected 85 appointed 41 Constituencies 24 constituencies (each governorate constitutes a constituency) Voting system : Voting by an electoral college composed of municipal councillors and members of regional councils. Members of the House of Councillors are elected from a list in one round of voting. Voter requirements members of a regional council or a municipal councillor CANDIDATES Eligibility - Tunisian citizen by birth or, for naturalized citizens, their father or mother must be Tunisian and they must have held Tunisian citizenship for at least five years; - Enjoy civil and political rights and not meet any of the ineligibility criteria provided for by law. - Age: at least 40 years old on the day candidature is submitted. Incompatibilities - Holders of non-elected public office remunerated by public funds, public establishments and local government authorities - Company directors; chairpersons of the board of directors; trustees; official representatives; managing directors or managers of public firms, companies or establishments benefiting from State subsidies, contributions or equivalent in some other form; benefits accruing from the State or a local government entity except in cases where these benefits result from the automatic application of a general law or regulation; and exclusively financially-driven companies funded by public funds. - Magistrates - President and members of the Constitutional Council - President and members of the Economic and Social Council - Ambassadors - Governors, deputy governors, official representatives, sector heads (holders of public office in regional administrations) - Posts attributed and remunerated by a foreign State or an international organization Exceptions to incompatibilities: - Members of government, - Councillors appointed to represent the State, region or local community (communes) in firms or public enterprises in whose capital the State participates, - Region or local community (Art. 85 of the Electoral Code). Candidacy requirements 1. For regional representatives, candidatures are presented on a list by virtue of a declaration signed by the candidate(s). This declaration must be presented to the Governor. - Submit a certificate issued by: the Governor for municipal councillors, also indicating the attributes that allow the person to submit his/her candidature; the national representative of each professional organization indicating the candidate's membership thereof. This declaration should be addressed to the Minister of the Interior and Local Development. 2. Candidates representing the sector of employers or farmers must justify their professional qualifications allowing them to submit their candidature for one of the two sectors. The profession indicated must be the principal one. - No one can be a candidate on more than one list or for more than one sector. - Candidatures are submitted during the fourth week preceding voting day to a competent regional authority. - For regional representatives, each list must contain as many names as there are seats to be filled in the constituency. - For representatives of professional organizations, each list must contain at least double the number of names as there are seats to be filled at the national level.

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Unicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Mustasharin / Chamber of Councillors Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Majlis Al-Nuwab / Chamber of Deputies BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 10 August 2008 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for 35 of 71 members indirectly elected. The General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT), which is entitled to 14 seats, did not participate in the elections. In addition, 20 members (including five women) were appointed by the President. N/A (indirect elections) STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 10 August 2008 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Representatives of Local Collectivities Appointed members Tunisian union of the industry, trade and draft industry (UTICA) Tunisia Union of Agriculture and fishing (UTAP) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Seats 2008 Women 2008 Women (total) Representatives of Local Collectivities 43 21 3 7 Appointed members 41 20 5 8 Tunisian union of the industry, trade and draft industry (UTICA) 14 7 1 1 Tunisia Union of Agriculture and fishing (UTAP) 14 7 0 1 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 46 9 16.36% Distribution of seats according to age 41 to 50 years 51 to 60 years 61 to 70 years Over 70 years 18 52 29 13 Distribution of seats according to profession Educators Civil/public servants/administrators (including social/development workers) Business/trade/industry employees, including executives Farmers/agricultural workers (including wine growers) Legal professions Medical professions (doctors, dentists, nurses) Media-related professions (journalists/publishers) Technical support and other expert staff Engineer - mechanic 30 23 18 11 9 8 5 5 3 Comments Note on the number of women: Four women were indirectly elected on 10 August 2008 while five others were appointed on 15 August. After the renewal in 2008, there were nine women indirectly elected and eight appointed, or 17 women in all. Source (Chamber of Councillors: 26.08.2008)

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Unicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Mustasharin / Chamber of Councillors Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Majlis Al-Nuwab / Chamber of Deputies APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title President of the Chamber of Councillors Term Duration: 1 year, renewable by election Appointment - Elected by all members of the Chamber in plenary sitting at the beginning of each ordinary session (in October of each year) Eligibility - Any councillor may present his/her candidature - The President may renew his/her candidature for further terms of office Voting system - Secret ballot if there are several candidates and by show of hands if there is a single candidate - Absolute majority in the first round; relative majority in second round; in case of a tie in the second round, the older candidate is elected. Procedures / results STATUS Status - Represents the Chamber at public authorities - Represents the Chamber at international organizations - In case of vacancy, the First Vice-President assumes the post. Board - The Chamber's Bureau is governed by its Standing Orders. - It is composed of the President of the Chamber, two Vice-Presidents, the chairpersons of the seven standing committees and their seven rapporteurs. They are all elected for one year. - It meets every two weeks. - It assists the President in the organization and functioning of the Chamber. Material facilities FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - Convenes sittings - Draws up and makes changes to the agenda after consultation with the Bureau of the Chamber - Organizes the debates and sets speaking times - Appoints committees to examine bills Chairing of public sittings - Adjourns and ends sittings - Enforces constitutional provisions and regulations - Maintains discipline within the Chamber - Draws up the list of speakers, gives the floor to and takes it from speakers - Proceeds with voting and determines modalities thereof - Verifies the quorum - Authenticates instruments passed and minutes of sittings - Interprets the Standing Orders and other rules governing the activities of the Chamber Special powers - Manages the administrative services of the Chamber - Appoints the Secretary General - Organizes the Chamber's services Speaking and voting rights, other functions No data

Parliament name - Structure of parliament Unicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Majlis al-Mustasharin / Chamber of Councillors Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Majlis Al-Nuwab / Chamber of Deputies NATURE Nature of the mandate Represents regions, professional organizations, national sectors and groups Start of the mandate Upon validation of the vote by the Constitutional Council Validation of mandates End of the mandate Date of legal termination of mandate (six-year mandate) Can MPs resign? Yes Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes STATUS OF MEMBERS Rank in hierarchy 1. President 2. First Vice-President 3. Second Vice-President 4. The 7 Chairpersons of the Standing Committees 5. The 7 Rapporteurs of the Standing Committees 6. The assistant Rapporteurs of the Standing Committees 7. Other members Indemnities, facilities and services - Basic indemnity + reimbursement of expenses - Retirement pension and social security - No exemption from taxes - Diplomatic passport - Other facilities: meals at Chamber restaurant; hotel accommodation during parliamentary activities; free public transport Obligation to declare personal assets No Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability - The notion is enshrined in Articles 26 and 27 of the Constitution. - Parliamentary non-accountability on grounds of: opinions expressed in the Chamber in the exercise of mandate, action taken and proposals issued therein. - Members of the Chamber cannot be prosecuted or arrested for crimes or offences so long as the Chamber has not lifted their immunity. - Lifting of immunity is decided in plenary sitting. Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE Training - Parliamentary orientation day prior to the beginning of each ordinary session Participation in the work of the Parliament - Members of the Chamber must attend plenary sittings and committee sittings (Articles 13 and 31 of the Standing Orders). - Sanctions foreseen for non-compliance with this obligation (Articles 13 and 31 of the Standing Orders): warning; reprimand with loss of parliamentary indemnity; loss of parliamentary status - Competent authority to judge such cases and apply sanctions: President of the Chamber of Councillors, plenary assembly. Discipline - The rules governing discipline within the Chamber of Councillors are provided for in the Standing Orders. - Disciplinary sanctions provided for: call to order; withdrawal of right to take the floor; denial of access to the room for the duration of the sitting; other. - Competent authority to judge such cases and apply sanctions (call to order; withdraw of right to take the floor; denial of access to the room for the duration of the sitting): the President - Other sanctions: decided by the Chamber of Councillors on the Bureau's recommendation. Code (rules) of conduct Relations between MPs and pressure group

This page was last updated on 22 November 2011
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