National Assembly of Venezuela
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The National Assembly (Spanish: Asamblea Nacional) is the current legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of 165 deputies (diputados), who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote on a national party-list proportional representation system. In addition, three deputies are returned on a state-by-state basis, and three seats are reserved for representatives of Venezuela's indigenous peoples. All deputies serve five-year terms.
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[edit] History
[edit] 1961 Constitution
Under its previous 1961 Constitution, Venezuela had a bicameral legislature, known as the Congress (Congreso). This Congress comprised a Senate (Senado) and a Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados).
The Senate was made up of two senators per state, two for the Federal District, and a number of ex officio senators intended to represent the nation's minorities. In addition, former presidents (those elected democratically or their replacements legally appointed to serve at least half a presidential term) were awarded lifetime senate seats. Senators were required to be Venezuelan-born citizens and over the age of 30.
The members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected by direct universal suffrage, with each state returning at least two. Deputies had to be at least 21 years old.
[edit] 1999 Constitution
President Hugo Chávez was first elected in December 1998 on a platform calling for a National Constituent Assembly to be convened to draft a new constitution for Venezuela. Chávez's argument was that the existing political system, under the earlier 1961 Constitution, had become isolated from the people. This won broad acceptance, particularly among Venezuela's poorest classes, who had seen a significant decline in their living standards over the previous decade and a half. The National Constituent Assembly (ANC), consisting of 131 elected individuals, convened in August 1999 to begin rewriting the constitution. In free elections, voters gave all but six seats to persons associated with the Chávez movement. The Venezuelan people approved the ANC's proposed constitution in a referendum on 15 December 1999. It was promulgated by the ANC and came into effect the following 20 December.
[edit] Political composition
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| United Socialist Party of Venezuela For Social Democracy Fatherland for All People's Humanist Front | Communist Party of Venezuela New Revolutionary Path Affiliation unknown | ||
The first election of deputies to the new National Assembly took place on 30 July 2000. President Hugo Chávez' Fifth Republic Movement won 92 seats (56%). The opposition boycotted the 2005 elections, and as a result gained no seats, while the Fifth Republic Movement gained 114 (69%). In 2007 a number of parties, including the Fifth Republic Movement, merged to create the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which as of January 2009 holds 139 of the 165 seats (84%).
[edit] Structure and powers
Under the new "Bolivarian" 1999 Constitution, the legislative branch of Government in Venezuela is represented by a unicameral National Assembly. The Assembly is made up of 165 deputies (diputados), who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote on a national party-list proportional representation system. In addition, three deputies are returned on a state-by-state basis, and three seats are reserved for representatives of Venezuela's indigenous peoples.
All deputies serve five-year terms and must appoint a replacement (suplente) to stand in for them in during periods of incapacity or absence (Art. 186). Under the 1999 constitution deputies could be reelected on up to two occasions (Art. 192); under the Venezuelan constitutional referendum, 2009 these term limits were removed. Deputies must be Venezuelan citizens by birth, or naturalized Venezuelans with a period of residency in excess of 15 years; older than 21 on the day of the election; and have lived in the state for which they seek election during the previous four years (Art. 188).
Beyond passing legislation (and being able to block any of the president's legislative initiatives), the Assembly has a number of specific powers outlined in Article 187, including approving the budget, initiating impeachment proceedings against most government officials (including ministers and the Vice President, but not the President, who can only be removed through a recall referendum) and appointing the members of the electoral, judicial, and prosecutorial branches of government. Among others it also has the power to authorise foreign and domestic military action and to authorise the President to leave the national territory for more than 5 days.
[edit] Actions
In November 2000 the Assembly granted President Hugo Chávez a temporary power to rule by decree. Chávez approved 49 laws by decree under these powers.[1]
On 31 January 2007, the National Assembly approved another enabling act granting President Hugo Chávez the power to rule by decree for 18 months. He planned to continue his Bolivarian Revolution, enacting economic and social changes. He said he wanted to nationalize key sectors of the economy. Chávez, who was beginning a fresh six-year term, said the "revolutionary laws" would accelerate Venezuela's transformation into a socialist society. His critics, however, called it a radical lurch toward authoritarianism by a leader with unchecked power.[2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- 1999 Constitution (unofficial English translation)
- (Spanish) National Assembly website
- (Spanish) Constitución de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela (html)
- (Spanish) Constitución de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela (pdf)
- (Spanish) 1961 Constitution amended as of 1983
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