Colombian Congress
|
Congress of the Republic of Colombia Congreso de la República de Colombia |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses |
House of Representatives Senate |
| Leadership | |
|
Mauricio Lizcano (La U)
Since 20 July 2016 |
|
|
President of the House of Representatives
|
Miguel Ángel Pinto (Liberal)
Since 20 July 2016 |
| Structure | |
| Seats |
268 consisting of: 102 Senators 166 Representatives |
 |
|
|
House of Representatives political groups
|
Government (98) Opposition (22) Independent (46) |
 |
|
|
Senate political groups
|
Government (51) Opposition (25) Independent (25) |
|
Length of term
|
Four years |
| Meeting place | |
 |
|
| Capitolio Nacional, Bogotá | |
| Website | |
|
www www |
|
Government (98)
Opposition (22)
Independent (46)
Government (51)
Opposition (25)
Independent (25)
The Congress of the Republic of Colombia (Spanish: Congreso de la República de Colombia) is the name given to Colombia's bicameral national legislature.
The Congress of Colombia consists of the 102-seat Senate (Senado), and the 166-seat House of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes). Members of both houses are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms.
The composition, organization and powers of Congress and the legislative procedure are established by the fourth title of the Colombian Constitution. According to article 114 of the Constitution, the Congress amends the constitution, makes the law and exercises political control over the government and the public administration. In addition, the Constitution and the law grant other powers to Congress, including certain judicial powers and electing senior judges and other senior public officials.
Both houses of Congress meet at the neoclassical Capitolio Nacional ("National Capitol") building in central Bogotá, the construction of which began in 1847 and was not concluded until 1926. Every house has its own election procedure and individual powers distinguishing them from the other, which are further discussed in the article for each individual chamber.
Each house has its own eligibility requirements established by the Constitution, but there are common rules of ineligibility and incompatibility (régimen de inhabilidades e incompatibilidades), determined by the Constitution.
Anyone who has been sentenced to deprivation of liberty (detention) at any time except for political crimes and culpable negligence; hold dual citizenship and are not native-born citizens; held a public employment position with political, civil, administrative or military authority or jurisdiction within the year prior the election; participated in business transactions with public entities or concluded contracts with them, or were legal representatives of entities which handled taxes or quasi-fiscal levies within the six months prior to the election; lost their mandate (investidura) as members of Congress or holds ties of marriage or kinship with civil servants holding civil or political authority may not be elected to Congress. In addition, relatives through marriage or kinship who are registered candidates for the same party for an office elected on the same day may not be members of Congress. The constitution also bans election to or membership in more than one office or body, even if the terms only overlap partially. Members of Congress may not hold another public or private office (except university professorship); manage matters or conclude contracts, in their name or that of someone else, with public entities or persons administering taxes or serve as a member of any board or executive committee of decentralized public entities or institutions administering taxes.
...
Wikipedia