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Parliament name (generic / translated) Parliament / Parlement More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Sénat / Senate Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1963 - 1964 1966 - 1992 1994 - 1997 2004 - LEADERSHIP President Léon Kengo wa Dondo (M)  Notes Elected on 11 May 2007. Secretary General Gilbert Kikudi Kongolo Ndjibu (M)  Notes 11 July 2017 - COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 108 / 108 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 5 (4.63%) Mode of designation indirectly elected 108 Notes Indirectly elected by the Provincial Assemblies. Former elected Presidents of the Republic are senators for life. Term 5 years Last renewal dates 19 January 2007 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Sénat Palais du Peuple Coin avenue des Huilerés et boulevard triomphal Commune de Lingwala Kinshasa (Export mailing lists) Phone (243) 991 847 477 816 371 302 Fax E-mail gilbertkkn@gmail.com Website http://www.senat.cd

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parliament / Parlement Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Sénat / Senate Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 9 March 2006 Loi N° 06/006 Mode of designation indirectly elected 108 Constituencies (not applicable - indirect election) Voting system Proportional: (Members are elected by the Provincial Assemblies) Each Senator is elected with two substitutes. They replace him according to the established rules should the senator die, resign, be permanently unable to perform his duties, be serving a criminal sentence or be subject to incompatibilities provided for under electoral law. Voter requirements (not applicable - members are elected by the Provincial Assemblies) CANDIDATES Eligibility - Qualified voters - Congolese nationality - Age: 30 years minimum - Enjoyment of full civil and political rights Ineligibilities: - Persons deprived of their civil and political rights - Persons tried for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity by an international criminal court - Undischarged bankruptcy - Persons with medically-certified complete mental incapacity during the five years prior to the elections - Civil servants and public administration agents who, by the closing date for the submission of candidatures, have not produced evidence of their request for release from their functions - Management executives of public or semi-public firms who, by the closing date for the submission of candidatures, have failed to tender their resignation - Magistrates who, by the closing date for the submission of candidatures, have failed to show that they have tendered their resignation - Members of the army and the Congolese national police force that have not proven, by the closing date for the submission of candidatures, that their resignation has been accepted or that they have effectively retired from service - Members of the independent Elections Commission at all levels, including staff. Incompatibilities - Members of the Senate - Members of government - Members of a democracy-promoting institution - Members of the armed forced, national police and security services; - Magistrates - Career public servants - Local government administration executives holding political-administrative office, with the exception of heads of local authorities, chieftainships and local associations; - Management executives of public enterprises - Members of the President of the Republic's cabinet, the Prime Minister's cabinet, the Speaker of the National Assembly's cabinet, the President of the Senate's cabinet, members of government and generally members of a political or administrative State authority, employees of a public or semi-public enterprise - Holders of any other elected office - Persons discharging functions for which they are remunerated by a foreign State or international body. Candidacy requirements (not applicable - indirect election)

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parliament / Parlement Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Sénat / Senate Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 19 January 2007 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all seats in the Senate to replace the transitional Senate. (not applicable - indirect elections) STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 19 January 2007 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 Independents People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) Others Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) Forces for Renewal Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) Christian Democrats Party (PDC) Convention of Christian Democrats (CDC) Social Movement for Renewal (MSR) Unified Lumumbist Party (PALU) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Independents 26 People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) 22 Others 18 Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) 14 Forces for Renewal 7 Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) 7 Christian Democrats Party (PDC) 6 Convention of Christian Democrats (CDC) 3 Social Movement for Renewal (MSR) 3 Unified Lumumbist Party (PALU) 2 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 103 5 4.63% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Sources: - http://www.cei-rdc.cd/ - Senate (26.01.2007, 12.04.2011, 12.12.2012, 20.07.2016) Note on the distribution of seats: 'Others' refers to the following parties took one seat each. 1. ADECO 2. CDU 3. CDD 4. CODECO 5. CRD 6. DCF-COFEDEC 7. FSIR 8. LDC 9. PANU 10. PDS 11. PDSC 12. RADESO 13. RCDN 14. RSF 15. UCL 16. UDEMO 17. UNADEC 18. UNADEF

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parliament / Parlement Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Sénat / Senate Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title President of the Senate Term - Duration: 5 years (term of the Senate) Appointment - The Speaker is elected by members of the Senate. Eligibility - Only members of the Senate are eligible. Voting system - There is formal notification process for the candidate. - The Speaker is elected by secret ballot. - A candidate who receives more than 50% of the votes is declared elected in the first round of voting. If no candidate is elected in the first round, a second round will be held. Procedures / results - The President of the interim Board presides over the Chamber during the voting. - The President of the interim Board supervises over the Chamber during the voting. - The President of the interim Board announces the results. - The result cannot be challenged. STATUS Status - The President ranks second in the hierarchy of State. - The Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate alternately preside joint sittings of a bicameral Parliament. - The Speaker may act as the Head of State. - In the absence of the Speaker, the first Vice-President assumes his/her role and duties. Board - The Speaker is assisted by the Board. - The Board is primarily an advisory body. - The Board is elected for 5 years (term of the Senate). - The Board consists of a President, a first Vice-President, a second Vice-President, a rapporteur, an assistant rapporteur, a quaestor and an assistant quaestor. Material facilities - A special allowance due to his/her position dont le montant est fixé par la loi de finances - Official residence - Official car - Security protection - Additional staff FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business The Speaker may: - convene sessions, - establish and modify the agenda, i.e. the programme and time-table of work, - organize the debates and set speaking time. Chairing of public sittings The Speaker may: - open, adjourn and close sittings, - interpret the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Senate, - ensure respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders, - take disciplinary measures in the event of a disturbance and lift such measures, - establish the list of speakers, - give and withdraw permission to speak, - select which amendments are to be debated, - establish the order in which amendments are taken up, - call for a vote, - decide how a vote will be carried out, - verify the voting procedure, - check the quorum, - authenticate the adopted texts and the records of debates, - give the floor outside the agenda and thus organize impromptu debates. Special powers The Speaker may: - participate in establishing the Chamber's budget, - represent the Senate in relations with foreign Parliaments and bodies. Speaking and voting rights, other functions The Speaker may: - take the floor in legislative debates, - take part in voting.

This page was last updated on 6 September 2017
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