Source: http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2342.htm
Timestamp: 2019-07-17 13:46:24
Document Index: 626055469

Matched Legal Cases: ['arty 4', 'Art. 104', 'Art. 322', 'Art. 326', 'Art. 158', 'Art. 97', 'Art. 131', 'Art. 148', 'Art. 148', 'Art. 115', 'Art. 115', 'Art. 93', 'Art. 117', 'Art. 77', 'Art. 107', 'Art. 112', 'Art. 113', 'Art. 114', 'Art. 114', 'Art. 117', 'Art. 109', 'Art. 93', 'Art. 115', 'Art. 115', 'Art. 115', 'Art. 93', 'Art. 115', 'Art. 115', 'Art. 93']

﻿ IPU PARLINE database: URUGUAY (Cámara de Senadores), Full text
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Parliament name (generic / translated) Asamblea General / General Assembly
Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Senadores / Senate
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Representantes / House of Representatives
Affiliation date(s) 1930 - 1935
President Lucía Topolansky (F)
Notes 13 Sep. 2017 -
Secretary General José Pedro Montero (M)
Notes Elected on 3 March 2015 for the 48th Legislature (2015 - 2020).
Members (statutory / current number) 31 / 31 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN
Women (current number) 9 (29.03%)
Mode of designation directly elected 30
Notes Other: the Vice-President of the Republic is an ex officio member.
Last renewal dates 26 October 2014
Address Cámara de Senadores
Phone (598) 2203 65 98
2401 73 27
Fax (598) 2209 70 11
E-mail rintcss@parlamento.gub.uy
http://www.parlamento.gub.uy
Electoral law 1 October 1925
Constituencies 1 multi-member (30 seats) national-wide constituency.
Voting system Proportional: Direct election, party-list proportional representation system based on the simple quotient.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by substitutes elected at the same time as the titular members.
Voting is compulsory, unjustified abstention being punishable by a fine.
- Uruguayan citizenship
- presence in country on polling day
- disqualifications: mental illness, conviction for criminal offence
Eligibility - age: 30 years
- Uruguayan citizenship by birth or naturalization for at least 7 years
Incompatibilities - judges
- prosecuting attorneys
- police officials
- directors of national companies
Candidacy requirements - lists of candidates must be sumitted by political parties to the national Electoral Court at least 20 days prior to the elections.
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 26 October 2014
Timing and scope of renewal The ruling coalition, the Broad Front (FA) of outgoing president Jose Mujica, retained its leadership of both chambers of Congress by taking 50 seats in the 99-member House of Representatives and 15 of the 30 directly elected seats in the Senate. The National Party (PN) took 32 and 10 seats respectively. The Colorado Party (PC) came in third, taking 10 and four seats.
President Mujica, who was constitutionally barred from running for a second consecutive term as President, was elected to the Senate. The FA's presidential candidate, former President Tabare Vazquez, won the run-off presidential elections on 30 November, defeating the PN's candidate, Mr. Luis Lacalle Pou. The PC's candidate, Mr. Pedro Bordaberry, finished third in the first round, and supported Mr. Pou in the second round.
Both the FA and the PN pledged to boost economy. The FA promised to continue the policies of the outgoing President, which included legalization of gay marriage and abortion. It planned to create the world's first State-run marijuana marketplace, in which the government would regulate the production and sale of marijuana nationwide. The PN - whose 41-year old presidential candidate ran against the 74-year old former President Tabare - called for generation renewal. It promised to halt the plan to set up a marijuana marketplace.
Date of previous elections: 25 October 2009
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 15 February 2015
Expected date of next elections: 27 October 2019
Number of seats at stake: 30 (full renewal)
Number of parties contesting the election: 7
Names of parties in government: Broad Front (FA)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 15 February 2015
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Raul Sendic (Vice-President of the Republic)
Round no 1 26 October 2014
Valid votes 2'620'791
2'372'117 (90.51%)
Independent Party (PI)
Broad Front (FA) 15
National Party (PN) 10
Colorado Party 4
Independent Party (PI) 1
Percent of women 22
- Nine women were elected to the Senate in the October 2014 elections.
- Before the first sitting of the Senate in February 2015, one woman was replaced by her male substitute, leaving eight women.
- In March 2015, the number of women increased again to nine after one male titular member was replaced by his female substitute member.
IPU Group (19.11.2014, 21.11.2014, 01.01.2015, 29.05.2015)
http://www.corteelectoral.gub.uy/nacionales2014/proclamacion/ACTA_N_9413_SENADORES_2015_2020.pdf
Title President of the General Assembly & of the Senate
- normal date of expiry: the 14th of February preceding the inauguration of the new Chamber
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Senate
Appointment - the Vice-President of the Republic is ex officio President of the Senate
- last Sunday of November every five years
- prior to validation of mandates and swearing-in
Eligibility - any citizen over 30 years of age, of Uruguayan nationality or naturalized at least 7 years ago may be a candidate (except for judges, prosecutors, police officers and servicemen)
- notification of candidature: 30 days prior to elections
- simple majority, one round
Status - as both President of the Senate and Vice-President of the Republic, he ranks second in the order of precedence after the President of the Republic
- presides over joint meetings of both Houses
- represents the Senate with the public authorities
- represents the Senate in international bodies
- in the absence of the President, the Senator representing the party with the most votes in the last national elections can assume his/her role and functions
Material facilities - salary double that of the other MPs
- military attaché
- makes announcements concerning the Senate, as does the Legislative Secretary
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates, together with the Legislative Secretary
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Senate, relying on precedents
Special powers - presents a draft budget to the Senate
- organizes the services of the Senate
- 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 the floor in legislative debates, by leaving his seat
- provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion, like any Senator
- can propose members of the Supreme Court, the Tribunal for Administrative Disputes, the Audit Office and the Electoral Court, like the other Senators
Start of the mandate · On 15 February following the national elections that take place, every five years, on the last Sunday of November (Art. 104 (1) of the Constitution of 27.11.1966, as amended up to and including 08.12.1996)
Validation of mandates · Validation by the Electoral Court only in case of challenge (Art. 322 (c) of the Constitution)
· Procedure (Art. 326 and 327 of the Constitution, Art. 158 to 165 of the Electoral Law)
End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends (see Art. 97 of the Constitution). The Permanent Commission of the General Assembly continues to exercise its functions until the new Chambers are organised (Art. 131 (8) of the Constitution). In case of early dissolution, the mandate ends on the day the new Assembly meets (Art. 148 (10) and (16) of the Constitution) (for early dissolution, see Art. 148 of the Constitution).
· Procedure (Art. 115 (3) of the Constitution, Rules 54 and 55 (1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate) (see also Pension scheme)
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the Senate
1. By the Senate:
- Exclusion (Art. 115 (2) of the Constitution, see also Code of conduct)
2. By both Chambers:
- Impeachment (Art. 93, 102 and 103 of the Constitution, see also Code of conduct)
1.	The members of the Board
2.	The Vice-Presidents of the Senate
3.	The Presidents of the Committees, for certain acts or ceremonies
4.	The other senators
· Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence ranks the President in the 2nd position, and the other senators in the 11th position.
· Basic salary (see also Art. 117 of the Constitution): U$ 40,000 (US$ 4,000)
· Pension scheme (Art. 77 (2) No. 10, and 111 (1) of the Constitution)
(b)	Assistants (Art. 107 of the Constitution, Rules 96 to 103 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, Rules 112 (14) and (15), and 119 to 127 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate)
(c)	Postal and telephone services
(d)	Travel: when decided by the Senate
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 112 of the Constitution, see also Rule 92 (C) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).
· Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by senators both within and outside Parliament.
· Derogations: waiver of immunity; offence or insult (Rules 84, 85 No. 3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate, see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 113 and 114 of the Constitution).
· It applies to criminal and civil proceedings, covers all offences with the exception of traffic offences, and protects senators from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, from the opening of judicial proceedings against them and from their homes being searched.
· Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto, the senator can be arrested. Notice shall immediately be given to the Senate, with a summary report of the case.
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent senators from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal. However, they may reply in writing, without appearing before a judge or tribunal.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate, including between early dissolution of the House and the election of a new Parliament, and also covers judicial proceedings instituted against senators before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 114 of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the Senate
- Procedure (Art. 114 of the Constitution). In this case, senators need not be heard. They do not have means of appeal.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the senators concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
Training · There is no training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs, nor is there a handbook of parliamentary procedure.
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is compulsory for senators to be present at plenary sittings and committee meetings (Rules 30 (1) and 91 (B) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate). For leave of absence, see Rule 30 (2) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly.
- Admonition (Rule 29 (2) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly)
- Deduction of salary (Art. 117 (1) and (2) of the Constitution, Rule 14 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate)
- Other penalties for non-attendance at the opening sitting of the General Assembly (Art. 109 of the Constitution)
- Admonition: the President
- Other penalties for non-attendance at the opening sitting of the General Assembly: the senators present
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in Rules 84 to 92, 112 No. 6 and 7, and 118 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate. For the General Assembly, see Rules 58 to 64, 91 (G), 92 (E), and 93 (2) No. 6 and 7 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly.
- Interruption (Rules 85 to 87 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate)
- Call to order, with loss of the floor (Rules 90 to 92, and 112 No. 6 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate)
- Warning for irrelevance (Rules 88 and 89, and 112 No. 6 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate)
- Adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting (Rules 112 No. 7 and 118 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate)
- Offence or insult (Rules 84, 85 No. 3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate): interruption
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties (Rule 112 No. 6 and 7 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate):
- Interruption, offence or insult, adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting: the President
- Call to order, with loss of the floor, warning for irrelevance: the President, on his own instigation or on that of another senator: the Senate
- Interruption, offence or insult (Rules 84 to 87 of the Rules of Procedure of the Senate)
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system but there are some relevant provisions (Art. 93, 102, 103, and 115 of the Constitution).
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct:
- Reprimand (Art. 115 (1) of the Constitution)
- Suspension (Art. 115 (1) of the Constitution)
- Loss of mandate (Art. 115 (2) of the Constitution, exclusion)
- Loss of mandate (Art. 93, 102 and 103 of the Constitution, impeachment)
- Reprimand, suspension, loss of mandate (exclusion): the Senate
- Loss of mandate (impeachment): the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate
- Reprimand, suspension (Art. 115 (1) of the Constitution).
- Loss of mandate (Art. 115 (2) of the Constitution, exclusion).
- Loss of mandate (Art. 93, 102 and 103 of the Constitution, impeachment). In this case, MPs have means of recourse.