| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Assemblée nationale / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of the National Assembly |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, vote of no confidence in the Speaker (at the request of two-fifths of the Members and following a vote by absolute majority of the Members)
death, dissolution of Parliament, death
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the Assembly
- election held at the beginning of each legislature (or in case of vacancy)
- after Members' mandates have been validated and Members have been sworn in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Member may be a candidate, but formal notification of candidature is required
- notification of candidature must be made at least one hour before the sitting opens
|
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot for a single candidate
- an absolute majority is required on the first round, a simple majority on the second
- in the event of a succession of votes, new candidates are admitted
|
| Procedures / results |
- the oldest Member presides over the Assembly during the voting
- the secretaries of the sitting and the oldest Member supervise the voting
- the oldest Member announces the results without delay
- the results may be challenged before the Administrative Chamber for violation of or non-compliance with the Standing Orders
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks third in the hierarchy of State, and is first in line to serve as acting Head of State
- represents the Assembly with the public authorities
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- in case of absence, the Speaker is replaced by one of the five Deputy Speakers according to protocol order
|
| Board |
- is regulated by the Standing Orders of the Assembly
- consists of the Speaker and 10 Members of the Assembly who serve for five years (term of the legislature)
- meets when convened by the Speaker
- is entrusted with assisting the Speaker |
| Material facilities |
- special allowance
- official residence
- official car
- domestic staff
- secretariat and additional staff
- bodyguards
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees, with the agreement of the Conference of Speakers
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
|
| Special powers |
- establishes the Assembly's budget and submits it to the Finance and Planning Committee
- recruits, assigns and promotes staff
- appoints the Clerk with the Board's agreement
- organizes the services of the Assembly
- has a specific role to play in foreign relations or defence matters
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
|
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes the floor in legislative debates
- provides guidelines 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 the laws adopted to the Head of State for promulgation
- appoints three personalities to the Constitutional Chamber
- must be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution, etc.)
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