| Parliament name |
Houses of Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
House of Assembly
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the Senate |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all the Senators
- election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected Senate or when a vacancy occurs
- before Members are sworn in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Senator (except a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary) can be a candidate
- candidatures must be submitted by a third party who is himself a Senator
- candidatures must be seconded by another Senator
|
| Voting system |
- if only one candidature is submitted : the candidate is elected without a vote or debate
- if several candidatures are submitted : a secret ballot is taken for each candidates in the order of their registration until one of them is elected.
|
| Procedures / results |
- the Clerk presides over the Senate during the voting
- the Clerk announces the results without any delay
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- in the absence of the President, the Vice President (or any other Senator elected for that sitting) can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
|
| Material facilities |
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions, in exceptional case only
- organises the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of questions, petitions, bills and amendments
|
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open and close sittings, within the framework of the Standing Orders
- can suspend sittings for short periods
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Senate
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives (the Senator who catches the President's eye would have the floor) 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
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Senate
|
| Special powers |
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Senate |
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes part in voting, only if he/she has been elected at the Senate and only in the case of a tied vote |
