| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Assemblée Nationale / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the National Assembly |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Assembly
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the National Assembly at the first sitting of the newly elected Assembly |
| Eligibility |
- any Member of the Assembly may be a candidate, but the leaders of the political parties must formally notify the provisional Presidium of his or her candidature before the voting |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot
- an absolute majority is required for the first two rounds and a relative majority for the third round; in case of a tie in the third round, a drawing of lots is held
|
| Procedures / results |
- the senior Member presides over the Assembly during the voting
- three tellers supervise the voting
- the senior Member announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks third in the hierarchy of the State
- can serve as acting Head of State for 21 days minimum and 40 days maximum
- only represents the Assembly within inter-parliamentary bodies
- presides ex officio over the Conference of Spokesmen
- in the absence of the President, the first Vice-President can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
- is regulated by the Standing Orders of the Assembly
- consists of the President, 4 Vice-Presidents, 4 parliamentary secretaries and 2 questors
- members serve a one-year term
- generally meets once a week
- constitutes a true collegial presidency
|
| Material facilities |
- allowance based on a special index of 1050
+ expense allowance of 100,000 CFA francs per month
+ session allowance of 8,500 CFA per day
- official residence
- official car with chauffeur
- cabinent and secretariat
- bodyguards
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting-up of such committees
The Conference of Spokesmen:
- estabishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- opens, adjourns and closes sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- gives and withdraws permission to speak
- has a parliamentary Secretary establish 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
- has a parliamentary Secretary check the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly, based on precedents
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
|
| Special powers |
- supervises the budgeet of the National Assembly established by the questors
- appoints the Clerk
The Board:
- organizes the services of the Assembly
- 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 |
- can take the floor in legislative debates
- can provide guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting like all Deputies
- can propose bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- authenticates bills before transmitting them to the Head of State for promulgation
- may refer a law to the Constitutional Court before its promulgation by the Head of State
- appoints three of the nine members of the Constitutional Court
- may be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution, etc.) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
