| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Asamblea General / General Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Cámara de Representantes / House of Representatives |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Cámara de Senadores / Senate
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the House of Representatives |
| Term |
Duration: one year
- for the first year of the five-year term of the legislature, the Speaker occupies the post from 15 February until the end of February of the next year;
- for the rest of the legislature, the Speaker occupies the post from 1 March until the end of February of the next year.
Reasons of interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Chamber |
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the Chamber
- the election is held at the beginning of every annual session
- before validation of mandates
|
| Eligibility |
- any Member may be a candidate |
| Voting system |
- formal public vote in one round
- a simple majority of the Members is required
|
| Procedures / results |
- the Secretary presides over the Chamber during the voting
- the Secretary supervises the voting
- the Secretary announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- the President of the Senate presides over joint sittings of both Houses
- in the absence of the Speaker, one of the four Vice-Presidents elected using the same procedure as the President can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
|
| Material facilities |
- same allowance as other Members of the Chamber
- expense allowance
- official car
- secretariat
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting-up of such committees
- is empowered to 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
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- verifies the voting procedure
- checks the quorum at the indication of the Secretary
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates with the Secretaries of the Chambers
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Chamber
|
| Special powers |
- is responsible for establishing the budget
- recruits, assigns and promotes staff with the agreement of the Committee for Chamber Affairs and the Secretariat
- organizes the services of Parliament
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call in the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
|
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes the floor in legislative debates by leaving his seat
- gives directives for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- transmits laws to the Head of State for promulgation
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
