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Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso / Congress More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Senadores / Senate Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1958 - 2003 2006 - LEADERSHIP President Victor Alcides Bogado González (M)  Notes Elected on 30 June 2010, re-elected on 30 June 2011. Secretary General Carlos A. Samudio (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 80 / 80 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 10 (12.50%) Mode of designation directly elected 80 Term 5 years Last renewal dates 20 April 2008 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Cámara de Diputados Palacio Legislativo Avda. República e/ 14 de mayo y 15 de agosto Asunción - Paraguay (Export mailing lists) Phone (59521) 414 4301 414 4306 Fax (59521) 414 4365 E-mail prensa@diputados.gov.py dircom@diputados.gov.py Website http://www.diputados.gov.py/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso / Congress Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Senadores / Senate LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 1 January 1900 Mode of designation directly elected 80 Constituencies 18 multi member constituencies corresponding to the country's 17 administrative divisions plus the capital Voting system Proportional: Closed party list proportional representation system. - Each political party or movement presents a list of candidates with as many names as the number of seats to be filled. - The votes received by each list are divided by one, two, three, four and so on up to the number of seats to be filled. The quotients are ranked from the largest to the smallest. Seats are then allocated to the lists with the highest averages. - Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by substitues elected at the same time as titular members. - Voting is not compulsory. Voter requirements - age: 18 years - Paraguayan citizenship - residence in the country - disqualifications: mental and physical incapacity declared by a court, deaf-mutes who cannot express themselves in writing, detention CANDIDATES Eligibility Qualified electors - age: 25 years - Paraguayan citizenship - ineligibility: conviction depriving of freedom or of right to hold public office, electoral offences Incompatibilities - magistrates - Attorney-General and members of his office - Prosecutor - owners of the media-related organizations - Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General - members of the Superior Electoral Court - members of the clergy - representatives or agents of enterprises, corporations or bodies which have obtained a concession from the Government to operate a public service - members of the armed or police forces on active duty - candidates for President or Vice-President of the Republic Candidacy requirements - candidature by a registered political party or movement which has the backing of 100 electors

Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso / Congress Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Senadores / Senate BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 20 April 2008 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all seats in the Chamber of Deputies on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. The April 2008 parliamentary elections were held jointly with presidential polls. At stake were 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 45 in the Senate. The National Republican Association-Colorado Party (ANR) had been the largest party since 1947, including during the dictatorship of General Alfred Stroessner from 1954 to 1989. In the previous elections held in April 2003, the ANR obtained its worst results since the country returned to democracy in 1989. Although its leader, Nicanor Duarte Frutos, was elected as the country's President, the ANR failed to win a majority in either chamber, taking 37 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 16 in the Senate. The main opposition Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) took 21 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 12 in the Senate. Another opposition party - the National Union of Ethical Citizens (UNACE) - founded by the exiled former army chief Lino Cesar Oviedo in 2000 - won ten and seven seats respectively. The remainder went to small parties. Mr. Oviedo returned to Paraguay in 2004 and was jailed for his alleged involvement in an earlier military uprising until September 2007, when a military court ordered his release. In October, the Supreme Court exonerated him of all charges. In January 2008, he was nominated as the UNACE's candidate for the presidential elections. President Duarte Frutos initially announced that he would seek to amend the Constitution to be able to run for the presidency again. Finally, he endorsed the then Education Minister, Ms. Blanca Ovelar. In December, Ms. Ovelar won the ANR's nomination, becoming the first-ever woman presidential candidate in the country. Her rival, the then Vice-President Luis Castiglioni, alleged fraud and insisted that his faction (Vanguardia Colorado) was the real ANR. The internal split reportedly weakened the ANR prior to the 2008 elections. In December 2007, the opposition centre-left Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC) endorsed former Roman Catholic bishop, Fernando Lugo, as its presidential candidate. The APC comprised the PLRA, the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), the Party for a Country of Solidarity (PPS), Mr. Lugo's Tekojoja (Equality) Popular Movement (MPT), several other small leftist parties as well as civil society organizations, trade unions and small farmers' associations. Most APC candidates ran for elections under the banner of individual parties within the alliance. Mr. Lugo, known as the "bishop of the poor", pledged to tackle corruption and poverty. He also promised land reforms and stated his intention to renegotiate contracts for the Itaipu hydroelectric dam on the border between Brazil and Paraguay, in order to develop Paraguay's economy. On 20 March 2008, former Paraguayan football star José Luis Chilavert announced that he would support Mr. Lugo, arguing that he was the only candidate who could bring the change that the country needed. Many analysts argued that the election of Ms. Ovelar would allow President Duarte Frutos to maintain control over the country's politics. Ms. Ovelar warned that Mr. Lugo would implement leftist policies similar to those in Bolivia and Venezuela. Mr. Oviedo's UNACE advocated conservative policies on social issues. Like the APC, it pledged to work for the poor in the country. About 60 per cent of the 6.6 million inhabitants reportedly live in poverty. Thousands of Paraguayans living in Argentina returned to the country to vote. Many of them were reportedly supporters of Mr. Lugo's alliance. Over 65 per cent of the 2.9 million eligible voters turned out at the polls. The elections went off in relative peace, although some irregularities - such as late opening of some polling stations and claims of multiple voting - were reported. International observers, including a delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS), monitored the polls. The OAS praised the high turnout and declared that the polls were conducted in a climate of "total normality". Though the ANR remained the largest party in both chambers, its margin was significantly reduced. It took 30 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 15 seats in the Senate. The parties in the APC won a total of 31 and 17 seats respectively. The UNACE took 15 and nine seats respectively. In all, ten women were elected to the Chamber of Deputies, and seven to the Senate. In the presidential elections, Mr. Lugo (APC) was elected with over 42 per cent of the valid votes, ending more than six decades of ANR rule. On 1 July, the newly elected Congress held its first session. The Chamber of Deputies elected Mr. Enrique Buzarquis Cáceres (PLRA) as its new Speaker, while the Senate chose Mr. Enrique González Quintana (UNACE) as its new President. On 15 August, Mr. Lugo was sworn in as the country's President. STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 20 April 2008 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 2'861'940 1'874'127 (65.48%) 27'818 1'846'309 Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes National Republican Association/Colorado Party (ANR) Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) National Union of Ethical Citizens (UNACE) Beloved Fatherland Movement ("Patria Querida", PPQ) Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC) Democratic Progressive Party (PDP) Popular Movement Tekojoja (MPT) Departmental Alliance Boquerón (ADB) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats National Republican Association/Colorado Party (ANR) 30 Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) 27 National Union of Ethical Citizens (UNACE) 15 Beloved Fatherland Movement ("Patria Querida", PPQ) 3 Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC) 2 Democratic Progressive Party (PDP) 1 Popular Movement Tekojoja (MPT) 1 Departmental Alliance Boquerón (ADB) 1 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 70 10 12.50% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Sources: - Tribunal Superior de Justicia Electoral (28.07.2008) - http://www.tsje.gov.py/e2008/res_2008/diputados.html

Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso / Congress Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Senadores / Senate APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Term - duration: 1 year (expires on the 30th of March of each year)(may be re-elected) Appointment - elected by all the Deputies - after Members are sworn in and after validation of mandates Eligibility - any Deputy can be a candidate Voting system - roll-call vote - the candidate obtaining the absolute majority is elected - if no candidates obtain the absolute majority, a second round of vote is held between the two leading candidates in the first round. In the event of a tie, the vote is repeated. If the result is again a tie, the Temporary President choose one candidate. Procedures / results - at the beginning of a term, the temporary Speaker who is the Deputy heading the list of the majority party, presides over the Chamber during the voting - during the term the outgoing Speaker presides over the Chamber during the voting - the temporary Speaker or the outgoing Speaker supervises the voting - the temporary Speaker or the outgoing Speaker announces the results without any delay STATUS Status - ranks third in the hierarchy of the State - represents the Assembly with the public authorities - represents the Assembly in international bodies - in the absence of the Speaker, one of the Deputy Speakers can assume his/her role and functions Board - consists of the Speaker and two Deputy Speakers Material facilities NA (no information received) FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - convenes sessions, in exceptional case only - establishes and modifies the agenda, in the framework of the Standing Orders - organizes the debates and sets speaking time Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders - makes announcements concerning the Chamber - takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures - establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak - 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 - authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates - interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Chamber Special powers - recruits, assigns and promotes staff - organizes the services of the Chamber - 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 NA (no information received)

Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso / Congress Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Senadores / Senate NATURE Nature of the mandate · Free representation Start of the mandate · On 1 July of the year of elections (Art. 187 (2) of the Constitution of 20.06.1992) Validation of mandates · Validation by the Chamber of Deputies only in case of challenge (Art. 10 (a) of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) · Procedure (Art. 196 to 198 of the Constitution, Art. 11 to 23 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends, that is on 30 June of the fifth year of the legislature (Art. 187 (2) of the Constitution) (early dissolution not foreseen in the Constitution) Can MPs resign? Yes · Yes, of their own free will (Art. 201 (2) of the Constitution) · Procedure (Art. 190 of the Constitution, Rule 34 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): written resignation; the Chamber of Deputies decides by a simple majority vote. · Authority competent to accept the resignation (Rule 34 (1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): the Chamber of Deputies Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter (Rule 34 (1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): - Incompatibilities or ineligibilities (Art. 196 to 198, and 201 (1), No. 1 of the Constitution; see also Validation of mandates) - Disciplinary measures and penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct (Art. 201 (1), No. 2 of the Constitution, Rule 34 (2) of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - General procedure (Art. 190 of the Constitution, Rule 34 (2) of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) STATUS OF MEMBERS Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament: 1. The Board 2. The parliamentary groups 3. The committees · Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence does not include MPs. Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic passport · Basic salary + Representation allowance: $ 3,200 + Additional allowance: $ 800 · Total exemption from tax · Special pension scheme · Other facilities: (a) Secretariat/assistants (Art. 200 of the Constitution, Rules 199 to 209, and 222 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) (b) Others: library (Rules 213 to 215 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) Obligation to declare personal assets Yes Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 191 (1) of the Constitution; see also Art. 1 of the Ley de Garantías de Fueros). · Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament. · Derogations: offence or insult (Art. 95 of the Rules of Procedure, see Discipline) · Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate. Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 191 (1) of the Constitution, see also Art. 3 of the Ley de Garantías de Fueros). · It applies to criminal and civil proceedings, covers all offences and protects MPs only from arrest and from being held in preventive custody. · Derogations: if caught in flagrante delicto in relation to a crime meriting a prison sentence, an MP can be arrested. Procedure (Art. 191 (1) of the Constitution; see also Art. 9 and 10 of the Ley de Garantías de Fueros). · Parliamentary inviolability does prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal. · Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate. · Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 109 (2) of the Constitution): - Competent authority: the Chamber of Deputies - Procedure (Art. 109 (2) of the Constitution). In this case, MPs must be heard. They do not have means of appeal. · Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions. EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE Training · There is a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs. · It is provided by Parliament and the political parties. · Handbooks of parliamentary procedure: - Constitución Nacional - Reglamento de la Honorable Cámara de Diputados Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings and committee meetings (Rule 29 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies). For leave of absence, see Rules 30, 31, 33, and 39 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies. · Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation (Rule 32 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): call to order, reduction of salary · Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the President Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in Art. 190 of the Constitution, and Rules 34, 95, and 97 to 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies. · Disciplinary measures foreseen: - Interruption (Rule 97 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Warning for irrelevance (Rules 98 and 99 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Call to order (Rules 100 and 101 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Admonition (Art. 190 of the Constitution, Rules 34 and 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Order to withdraw (Rule 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Suspension from Parliament without pay (Art. 190 of the Constitution, Rules 34 and 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Exclusion from Parliament (Rules 34 and 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Other measures (Rule 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) · Specific cases: - Offence or insult (Art. 95 of the Rules of Procedure) · Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: - Interruption, call to order: the President - Warning for irrelevance: the President, the Chamber of Deputies - Admonition, order to withdraw, suspension from Parliament without pay, exclusion from Parliament, other measures: the Chamber of Deputies · Procedure: - Interruption (Rule 97 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Warning for irrelevance (Rules 98 and 99 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Call to order (Rules 100 and 101 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Admonition, order to withdraw, suspension from Parliament without pay, exclusion from Parliament, other measures (Art. 190 of the Constitution, Rules 34 and 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) - Offence or insult Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system but there are some relevant provisions (Art. 190 and 201 (1), No. 2 of the Constitution, Rules 34 and 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies). · Penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct (Art. 190 and 201 (1), No. 2 of the Constitution, Rules 34 and 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies; misconduct, improper use of the influence stemming from his office): - Admonition - Order to withdraw - Suspension from Parliament without pay - Exclusion from Parliament (see also Loss of mandate) · Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Chamber of Deputies · Procedure (Art. 190 of the Constitution, Rules 34 and 102 of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies) Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 1 July 2011
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