SAN MARINO

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Parliament (generic name):

Consiglio grande e generale

Translated name:

Great and General Council

Structure:

Unicameral

Chamber:

Consiglio grande e generale

Translated name:

Great and General Council

President:

Rosa Zafferani ( F)

Federico Pedini Amati ( M)

Secretary General:

Giovanna Crescentini (Secrétariat Institutionnel) ( F)

Members (statutory number):

directly elected

Members (current number):

Women (current number):

7 ( 11.67%)

Term:

5 years

Last renewal dates:

4 June 2006

Address:

Consiglio Grande e Generale
Palazzo Pubblico
P.zza della Libertà
47890 SAN MARINO
Tel.: (378) 88 22 82
Fax: (378) 88 28 39, 88 23 89
E-mail: info.segristituzionale@pa.sm
antonella.giardi.segristituzionale@pa.sm

Web site:

http://www.consigliograndeegenerale.sm

Affiliation to IPU:

Yes

Affiliation date(s):

1989 -

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Electoral Law:

23 December 1958

Constituencies:

33 single or multi-member constituencies.

Voting System:

Party-list system with proportional representation of seats using the d'Hondt method. Voters indicate their preference either for a list or for a maximum of six candidates.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by the candidate from the same party list who received the next largest number of votes. The Great and General Council is wholly renewed if it loses one half plus one of its members.
Voting is not compulsory.

Voter requirements:

- age: 18 years
- San Marino citizenship
- full possession of civil and political rights
- disqualifications: mental illness, deprivation of full legal capacity, conviction for electoral offences or crimes punished by detention of more than one year

Eligibility:

- qualified electors
- age: 25 years
- San Marino citizenship
- literacy
- domicile in San Marino
- ineligibilities: persons holding ecclesiastical offices or titles

Incompatibilities:

- consuls and honorary consuls of foreign States
- members of the police or security forces
- spouses, parents and children of Deputies

Candidacy requirements:

- candidature must be submitted by political parties

LAST ELECTIONS

Also available: Archive of past election results for this chamber

Dates of election / renewal (from/to):

4 June 2006

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all seats in the Great and General Council on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.

Background and outcome of elections:

Elections were held on 4 June 2006. Since 1945, no party has secured an absolute majority in the 60-member Great and General Council, leading to the formation of successive coalition governments.

Early elections had been held in 2001 after the collapse of the coalition government composed of the Christian Democratic Party (PDCS) and the Socialist Party (PSS). However, after the elections, the PDCS, which had retained its 25 seats, and the PSS, which had taken 15 seats, formed another coalition government. Although the Popular Alliance (AP), holding five seats, joined the coalition in 2002, it soon withdrew. In 2003, the Democrats' Party (PD), which had won 12 seats, joined the coalition.

In February 2005, the PSS and the PD decided to merge and form the Party of Socialists and Democrats (PSD). Following the merger, some members left to join the United Left (SU) while others went to the New Socialist Party (NPS). The media focused on how well the new PSD party would do in the 2006 elections. The PSD pledged to strengthen San Marino's relationship with the European Union. The PDCS called on voters to support its economic policies for further development of the country.

A total of 71.84 per cent of some 31,000 registered voters turned out at the polls. The final results gave the PDCS 21 seats. The PSD followed with 20. The AP won seven, and the SU took five. The remainder went to small parties.

The newly-elected Great and General Council held its first session on 19 June 2006.

The PSD, the AP, and the SU formed a new coalition government, controlling 32 seats in the Great and General Council.

STATISTICS


Round no 1 (4 June 2006): Election results

Number of registered electors		31'759
Voters		22'815 (71.84%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers		769
Valid votes		22'046


Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group	Candidates	Votes	% of votes
Christian Democratic Party (PDCS)		7'257	32.92
Party of Socialists and Democrats (PSD)		7'017	31.83
Popular Alliance (AP)		2'657	12.05
United Left (SU)		1'911	8.67
New Socialist Party (NPS)		1'194	5.42
We San Marinese (NS)		558	2.53
San Marinese Popular Party (PS)		535	2.43
National alliance (ANS)		512	2.32
San Marinese for Freedom (SpL)		405	1.84


Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group							Total of seats
Christian Democratic Party (PDCS)							21
Party of Socialists and Democrats (PSD)							20
Popular Alliance (AP)							7
United Left (SU)							5
New Socialist Party (NPS)							3
We San Marinese (NS)							1
San Marinese Popular Party (PS)							1
National alliance (ANS)							1
San Marinese for Freedom (SpL)							1

Comments:

Source:
- http://www.elezioni2006.sm/elezioni2006/index2.jsp
- IPU Group (08.06.2006)

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men:

Women:

Percent of women:

11.67

Distribution of seats according to age:

Distribution of seats according to profession:

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENT

APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE

Title:

Captains-Regent of the Great General Council

Term:

- duration: 6 months (1 April-30 September / 1 October-31 March); elected on 1/10/1997
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation

Appointment:

- elected by all Members of the Council
- the election of the two Captains-Regent is held in the second week of March and of September
- before members' mandates have been validated and they have been sworn in

Eligibility:

- any Member of the Great General Council may be a candidate except those elected in the past three years and aged under 25
- formal notification of candidature

Voting system:

- formal vote by secret ballot
- first round by absolute majority; second round by simple majority

Procedures / results:

- the outgoing Captains-Regent preside over the Council during the voting
- the Voting Committee supervises the voting
- the Minister of the Interior announces the results without delay
- the law does not provide for challenging of the results

STATUS

Status:

- also holds the post of Head of State
represents the Council with the authorities
- represents the Council in international bodies
- in the absence of the Captain-Regent, the second Captain-Regent can assume his/her role and functions

Board:

- the President's Board is regulated by the Law of 1976
- consists of the 2 Captains-Regent and Members of the Great General Council
- meets 45 days before the opening of each session after being convened by the Captains-Regent
- constitutes a collegial presidency

Material facilities:

- allowance
+ expense allowance : Lit. 4,500,000
- official car and chauffeur

FUNCTIONS

Organization of parliamentary business:

The President's Board:
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study

Chairing of public sittings:

- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensure respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- take disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lift such measures
- establish the list of speakers, give and withdraw permission to speak
- establish the order in which amendments are taken up and select which amendments are to be debated
- call for a vote, decide how it is to be carried out, verify the voting procedure and cancel a vote in the event of irregularities, in collaboration with the Bureau of the Secretariat
- check the quorum, in collaboration with the Bureau of the Secretariat
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interpret the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Council, relying on precedents
- have discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organize impromptu debates

Special powers:

- establish the budget with the President's Board
- are responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
- the President's Board is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments

Speaking and voting rights, other functions:

- take part in voting

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Nature of the mandate:

Start of the mandate:

Validation of mandates:

End of the mandate:

Can MPs resign ?

Yes

Can MPs lose their mandate ?

Yes

STATUS OF PARLIAMENT MEMBERS

Rank in hierarchy:

Indemnities, facilities and services:

Obligation to declare personal assets:

Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability:

Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability:

EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE

Training:

Participation in the work of the Parliament:

Discipline:

Code (rules) of conduct:

Relations between MPs and pressure group:

Also available: Archive of past election results for this chamber

General Information | Electoral System
Last Elections | Presidency of the Parliament | Parliamentary Mandate
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