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DispatchFactbookPolitics

by The United Kingdom of Brutland and Norden. . 67 reads.

General Court

General Court of the Parliament
Corteso Genera di la Parlimento


Seal and Arms
Type

Type: Lower House of the
Parliament of Brutland and Norden
Leadership

Presider: Count Giustino Tassilone of Piccu
Speaker: Sean Montògliore (PP)
Leader of the Loyal Opposition: Ferrina Ilario (PDS)
Composition

Membership: 150
Political Groups
Government
Popular Party (132)
Opposition
Social Democratic Party (15)
Green Party (2)
Communist Party (1)
Elections
Term Length: 5 years
Last Elections: 31 May 2008
Next Elections: 31 May 2013
Meeting Place
Address: Palazzo di Parlimento
1 Piazzo d'Unnone
Settra
Vilòstresa EU001

The General Court (Nord-Brutlandese: Corteso Genera) is the lower house of the Parliament of Brutland and Norden. Though ceremonially lower, the General Court has more extensive powers than the upper house, the House of Lords.

History


The primordium of the General Court is the Advisory General Court, a popularly-elected representative body called by King Kyle the Fair in 1894. The Advisory General Court was to give the monarch ideas and proposals for the new constitution. The liberal-minded democratizing monarch wanted a popularly-elected chamber for making laws, and this was later enshrined in the Constitution of Brutland and Norden.

Composition


The Constitution states that the General Court will be composed of 150 members: 65 from Brutland, 65 from Norden, and 20 from the Union Territories. The recently passed 6th Amendment to the Constitution will raise the membership of the General Court to 500: 225 from Brutland, 225 from Norden, and 50 from the Union Territories. Elections are held every four years (extended to 5 by the 6th Amendment), or when Parliament is dissolved.

Members of Parliament are directly elected via the first-past-the-post system from single-member districts. The districts are drawn by the nonpartisan Royal Elections Institute (Stiutte Reala d’Elezioni). MPs must be a voter of legal age (at least 18 years old), have a clean criminal record, and resident in the district they will be representing.

Officers


Presider
Technically, the monarch presides over the legislative process as the King-in-Parliament, and can preside over the General Court. However, the responsibility of presiding over the General Court is now commonly given to a noble appointed by the monarch. The Presider of the General Court is responsible for implementing parliamentary rules and procedure, moderating debates, facilitating the legislative process, and acting as liaison between the General Court and the monarch. The current Presider is Count Giustino Tassilone of Piccu.

Speaker
The Speaker of the General Court has a different role than equivalent positions elsewhere. The Speaker literally speaks for the General Court – s/he speaks for the parliamentary majority. As such, the Speaker is always elected from the majority party/coalition in the General Court. The Speaker is elected by the General Court and may be replaced at will by the chamber. Nonetheless, Speakers usually become entrenched in their positions throughout the duration of the term of the Parliament. The current Speaker is Deputy Prime Minister and Speaker Sean Montògliore (PP: Timberland City, Brutland)

Caucus Leaders
The caucus leaders (ledaretto cauca) are the leaders of the parliamentary political groupings. The caucus leaders are usually the leaders of the parties in Parliament, except for the majority party/coalition, wherein the leader usually becomes the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister becomes the caucus leader. The Caucus leader of the largest party not in government is called Leader of the Loyal Opposition (ledaretto di l’Opporese leala).

Powers


Government Formation
The General Court has the power to confirm or reject proposed governments. During government formation, the monarch, after meeting with parliamentary leaders, appoints an MP to try to form a government (typically the leader of the largest party in Parliament). This proposed government is then presented to the General Court for approval. If approved, the government is confirmed. If rejected, the process starts all over again. The upper house has no role in government formation.

The General Court may dismiss a government by passing a vote of no confidence (voto di dell’aspriagne) or when it defeats a government on a budget bill (since governments that are unable to fund themselves must resign). In such cases, another government formation attempt must be made. If the attempt fails, the Parliament will be dissolved.


The Nord-Brutlandese General Court
(Corteso Genera)

Legislation
All legislation (except popular initiatives) must emanate from the General Court. Budget bills are the sole responsibility of the General Court.

Appointments
Appointments to federal positions are recommended by the appropriate Parliamentary committees. The General Court as a whole does not debate appointments to federal positions; the House of Lords does.

Location


The lower house of Parliament meets in the Palace of Parliament in the Settra district of Kingsville. It is a purpose-built building in 1896, to house the Parliament of Brutland and Norden. The Palace of Parliament is located in Union Square (Piazzo d'Unnone), an open space just off Union Avenue (Corso Unnone).

Current Composition


Current Composition of the General Court

Party

Brutland Seats

Norden Seats

Union Territories Seats

Total

...

Popular Party of Brutland and Norden
Partide Populoddía di Norden e Marchòbrutellia

65

60

7

132

...

Social Democratic Party of Brutland and Norden
Partide Democraziellía Scaglia di Norden e Marchòbrutellia

5

9

1

15

...

Green Party of Brutland and Norden
Partide Verta di Norden e Marchòbrutellia

0

0

2

2

...

Communist Party of Brutland and Norden
Partide Commonzossúa di Norden e Marchòbrutellia

0

1

0

1

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