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After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Composition of the House of Representatives 2. Qualifications for Membership of the House of Representatives 3. Method of Election 4. Tenure 5. Sessions 6. Presiding Officer 7. Quorum and Meetings 8. Immunities 9. Joint Sessions.
Composition of the House of Representatives:
Since 1963, the House of Representatives consists of 200 members. The 1999 total revision of the Constitution has not changed its membership. However, the people of the small Cantons or half-Cantons, howsoever small there number may be, are represented by at least one member in the House of Representatives. Zurich as the most populated Canton has the highest number of 35 seats in this House.
The members of the House are called Deputies. Between 1947- 1999, the three main parties- the Radicals, the Catholics and the Socialists held a quarter of the seats in the House of Representatives. The Peoples Party held 1/8th of the seats while the rest were small political parties.
However, in 2003 elections the Peoples Party came at the top with 26.5% popular votes and 55 seats of the House of Representatives. Socialist Party got 52 seats, the Free Democrats got 36, the Christian Democrats 28 seats, and the Green Party 13 seats.
Qualifications for Membership of the House of Representatives:
Qualifications for membership are the same as those of the voters. Every Swiss citizen, male or female of 18 years of age or above has the right to vote in the elections as well as to contest elections if he likes.
However, the clergy, executive and principal administrative servants, members of the Federal Government and the Senate cannot become members of the House of Representatives. The Swiss Constitution affects a separation between the House of Representatives and the Federal Government.
Method of Election of the House of Representatives:
The members of the House of Representatives are directly elected by the people through a system of proportional representation. For elections, each Canton is regarded as a single constituency and through the list system representatives are elected.
Elections are held after 4 years on the last Sunday in the month of October. Generally, the polling stations are located in the churches. Each political party gets seats in proportion to the popular votes that it polls in elections.
Tenure of the House of Representatives:
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The term of the House of Representatives is 4 years. It cannot be dissolved before the expiry of its full term except when there is an initiative for total revision of the constitution or when the two houses of Federal Parliament fail to agree over the issue of the total revision of the constitution.
Sessions of the House of Representatives:
According to Article 151 of the Constitution, the two chambers of Federal Parliament meet at least once in a year. In practice, the House of Representatives meets four times in a year, in the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th months of the year.
In an emergency, the Federal Government can convene its special session either by itself or on the request of one fourth of the members of the House of Representatives. The meetings of the House have to be public. However, there can be some exceptions.
Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives:
The House of Representatives elects its own President, Vice- president and second Vice-President for a term of one year (Article 152). The President acts as the chairman of the meetings of the House and conducts its proceedings. He possesses a casting vote along with his vote as a member of the House. The office of the President in an honorary office and carries no salary.
Quorum and Meetings of the House of Representatives:
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The quorum for the meetings of the House of Representatives has been fixed as the majority of the total membership (Article 159). As such, for transacting any business at least 101 members must be present in a meeting of the House.
All decisions are taken by the majority of the members present. However, in case of issues concerned with arrests, an absolute majority is required. Members of Parliament act according to their individual judgment.
Article 161 lays down:
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“Members of the Federal parliament shall vote without instructions.” However, they are to reveal their links with interest groups.
Immunities of the House of Representatives:
The members of the House of Representatives enjoy the privilege of freedom of speech and they cannot be held responsible for the statements made by them (Article 162)
Joint Sessions of the House of Representatives:
The House of Representatives and the Senate hold joint sessions for definite purposes like the election of the Federal Councilors (members of Federal Government), election of judges of the Federal Court and members of the Federal Insurance.
Chancellor of the Federation and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces; and for the grant of pardon or amnesty to criminals or for resolution of a conflict between the two Houses. All decisions in the joint sessions are taken by a majority vote. Since the membership of the House of Representatives is much larger than that of the Senate, the former dominates the proceedings of the joint session.
The Swiss Constitution now lays down that in some cases the majority of members in each House will be essential when any Federal law is to be declared as urgent, when subsidies are to be granted, loans are to be raised, when new one time expenditure exceeding 20 million Swiss Francs is to be incurred or when recurrent expenditure exceeding 2 million Swiss Francs are to be sanctioned.