Difference between revisions of "Senate of Sarenium"
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The '''Saren Senate''' is the [[upper house]] of the [[bicameral]] [[Parliament of Sarenium]], the [[lower house]] being the [[House of Commons of Sarenium|House of Commons]]. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Chapter I, Part II of the [[Constitution of Sarenium|Saren Constitution]]. There are a total of 105 senators: 7 from each of the states. Three of those seven are appointed by the [[President of Sarenium|President]], on advice of the [[Prime Minister of Sarenium|Prime Minister]] and the remaining four are elected by their respective constituents. The elected Senators are elected every six years (with half of them being elected every three years) and the appointed Senators serve either a single-non-renewable eight-year term or resign at an earlier stage. | The '''Saren Senate''' is the [[upper house]] of the [[bicameral]] [[Parliament of Sarenium]], the [[lower house]] being the [[House of Commons of Sarenium|House of Commons]]. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Chapter I, Part II of the [[Constitution of Sarenium|Saren Constitution]]. There are a total of 105 senators: 7 from each of the states. Three of those seven are appointed by the [[President of Sarenium|President]], on advice of the [[Prime Minister of Sarenium|Prime Minister]] and the remaining four are elected by their respective constituents. The elected Senators are elected every six years (with half of them being elected every three years) and the appointed Senators serve either a single-non-renewable eight-year term or resign at an earlier stage. | ||
| − | The Senate is designed to be capable of blocking legislation from the House should it be needed, the Senate can only outright deny the legislation's passage should the house fail to pass a three-fifths majority. If the House does pass a 3/5 (378/630) majority, the Senate can only delay its passage for the next three terms of Parliament before which the President can grant the house the power to pass legislation without the Senate's authority. If the House acquires a 2/3 (420/630) majority, then the legislation can pass with just 1/3 of the Senate (35/105) in approval. A 'refusal to provide Presidential Assent' will only be overrode with a 2/3s majority in | + | The Senate is designed to be capable of blocking legislation from the House should it be needed, the Senate can only outright deny the legislation's passage should the house fail to pass a three-fifths majority. If the House does pass a 3/5 (378/630) majority, the Senate can only delay its passage for the next three terms of Parliament before which the President can grant the house the power to pass legislation without the Senate's authority. If the House acquires a 2/3 (420/630) majority, then the legislation can pass with just 1/3 of the Senate (35/105) in approval. A 'refusal to provide Presidential Assent' (on constitutional validity) will only be overrode with a 2/3s majority in the House and a 4/5th majority in the Senate. |
[[Category: Sarenium]] | [[Category: Sarenium]] | ||
| + | ==Powers== | ||
| + | Any legislation to pass Parliament must initially be presented to the Senate in which legislation can be blocked only if it fails to garner 378 votes in the [[House of Commons of Sarenium|House]]. Should the Senate block legislation which failed to pass with 3/5s of the Houses votes (and only passed with 1/2), it is blocked and is thus held in deadlock. However, if the House does acquire over 378 votes, the Senate can only delay passage before which the President can allow its passage without Senatorial Consent. The President is however unbound from 'Constitutional Prerogative' and is thus permitted to formally refuse assent and thus fail the legislation on any other reasons. This power to refuse is only exercised in either a delayed legislation or in the event of the President's justification and belief of constitutional invalidity. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Should the House pass legislation with a strong 420 votes, only 35 of the Senators need to be in contention for the legislation to pass and any less will only delay the legislation. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Blocking Supply=== | ||
| + | The Senate's application in the past for blocking supply was notable in the [[1876 Constitutional Crisis]] where a 'money bill' was refused passage by the Senate and resulted in the eventual sacking of then [[Prime Minister of Sarenium|Prime Minister]] Gough Reagan in favor of a double dissolution. Only supply bills can be used for triggering a double dissolution. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Limitations=== | ||
| + | With 45 seats of the Senate being appointees with little bedrock need for party affiliation, much debate occurs for the remaining eight needed votes which must come from the big parties assuming the appointed Senators are content. In most cases, the Senate does not block legislation or delay it, however, varying legislation has been forced through deadlock and has been used a trigger for a double dissolution election. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Double Dissolution=== | ||
| + | The dissolution of the Senate and House at once, such elections can only occur when the trigger is satisfied; | ||
| + | *The legislation must have originated in the House. | ||
| + | *The legislation must have been delayed by the Senate. | ||
| + | *The legislation must be a supply bill 'money bill' (thus exempt from being used for a House-Only bill). | ||
| + | *A second attempt has also failed to pass the legislation. | ||
| + | |||
| + | After satisfaction, the Prime Minister must request that the President dismiss the entirety of Parliament, exempt appointed Senators unless the President chooses to individually withdraw any of the Senators[[Commission to the Senate|commission to the Senate]]. | ||
==Elected Senators== | ==Elected Senators== | ||
| − | Currently, of the sixty elected Senators there are 26 [[Conservative Party of Sarenium|Conservative]] Senators and 20 [[Labor Party of Sarenium|Labor]] Senators. There are also 13 elected independents and 4 [[Sarenium United (Political Party)|United]] and 7 [[Greens Party of Sarenium|Greens]] Senators. A split appointed bench of 5 independents, 15 [[Conservative Party of Sarenium|Tory]] and 15 [[Labor Party of Sarenium|Labor]] Senators after | + | Currently, of the sixty elected Senators there are 26 [[Conservative Party of Sarenium|Conservative]] Senators and 20 [[Labor Party of Sarenium|Labor]] Senators. There are also 13 elected independents and 4 [[Sarenium United (Political Party)|United]] and 7 [[Greens Party of Sarenium|Greens]] Senators. The Senators are elected using a preferential quota system. In which, (in a regular election) the quota of first preferences required is 34% of the vote. In a double-dissolution election, that quota is halved to 17%. |
| + | ==Appointed Senators== | ||
| + | A split appointed bench of 5 independents, 15 [[Conservative Party of Sarenium|Tory]] and 15 [[Labor Party of Sarenium|Labor]] Senators. | ||
| + | |||
| + | These appointed Senators have special requirements, unlike regular Senators, their seats can remain vacant but when appointed cannot be dismissed until the conclusion of the entire eight year term. Their [[Commission to the Senate|commission to the Senate]] can be rescinded after six years of service without warning or at the request of the [[President of Sarenium|President]] and with the assent of the [[House of Commons of Sarenium|House of Commons]], in such a case, the vacant seat must be filled within six months or by conclusion of the session of Parliament, whichever is first. | ||
| + | |||
| + | President [[Anthony Perales|Perales]] has announced his intention to reappoint Senators (should they be willing to depart) to further balance the Senate. | ||
==Benefits and Salaries== | ==Benefits and Salaries== | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ===Incumbent Numbers=== | |
| − | === | + | |
Revision as of 06:51, 31 October 2016
| Senate of Sarenium | |
|---|---|
| 155th Parliament of Sarenium | |
| Type | |
| Type | Upper house of the Parliament of Sarenium |
| Term limits | 45 Appointed by President; 60 elected by constituents. |
| Leadership | |
| Speaker of the Senate |
Tim Barlow, Conservatives Since August 1st, 2016 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 105 |
 | |
| Political groups |
Government Opposition Crossbench
|
| Length of term7 | Various |
| Elections | |
| Voting system | Preferential System |
| Redistricting | SEC |
The Saren Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Sarenium, the lower house being the House of Commons. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Chapter I, Part II of the Saren Constitution. There are a total of 105 senators: 7 from each of the states. Three of those seven are appointed by the President, on advice of the Prime Minister and the remaining four are elected by their respective constituents. The elected Senators are elected every six years (with half of them being elected every three years) and the appointed Senators serve either a single-non-renewable eight-year term or resign at an earlier stage.
The Senate is designed to be capable of blocking legislation from the House should it be needed, the Senate can only outright deny the legislation's passage should the house fail to pass a three-fifths majority. If the House does pass a 3/5 (378/630) majority, the Senate can only delay its passage for the next three terms of Parliament before which the President can grant the house the power to pass legislation without the Senate's authority. If the House acquires a 2/3 (420/630) majority, then the legislation can pass with just 1/3 of the Senate (35/105) in approval. A 'refusal to provide Presidential Assent' (on constitutional validity) will only be overrode with a 2/3s majority in the House and a 4/5th majority in the Senate.
Contents
Powers
Any legislation to pass Parliament must initially be presented to the Senate in which legislation can be blocked only if it fails to garner 378 votes in the House. Should the Senate block legislation which failed to pass with 3/5s of the Houses votes (and only passed with 1/2), it is blocked and is thus held in deadlock. However, if the House does acquire over 378 votes, the Senate can only delay passage before which the President can allow its passage without Senatorial Consent. The President is however unbound from 'Constitutional Prerogative' and is thus permitted to formally refuse assent and thus fail the legislation on any other reasons. This power to refuse is only exercised in either a delayed legislation or in the event of the President's justification and belief of constitutional invalidity.
Should the House pass legislation with a strong 420 votes, only 35 of the Senators need to be in contention for the legislation to pass and any less will only delay the legislation.
Blocking Supply
The Senate's application in the past for blocking supply was notable in the 1876 Constitutional Crisis where a 'money bill' was refused passage by the Senate and resulted in the eventual sacking of then Prime Minister Gough Reagan in favor of a double dissolution. Only supply bills can be used for triggering a double dissolution.
Limitations
With 45 seats of the Senate being appointees with little bedrock need for party affiliation, much debate occurs for the remaining eight needed votes which must come from the big parties assuming the appointed Senators are content. In most cases, the Senate does not block legislation or delay it, however, varying legislation has been forced through deadlock and has been used a trigger for a double dissolution election.
Double Dissolution
The dissolution of the Senate and House at once, such elections can only occur when the trigger is satisfied;
- The legislation must have originated in the House.
- The legislation must have been delayed by the Senate.
- The legislation must be a supply bill 'money bill' (thus exempt from being used for a House-Only bill).
- A second attempt has also failed to pass the legislation.
After satisfaction, the Prime Minister must request that the President dismiss the entirety of Parliament, exempt appointed Senators unless the President chooses to individually withdraw any of the Senatorscommission to the Senate.
Elected Senators
Currently, of the sixty elected Senators there are 26 Conservative Senators and 20 Labor Senators. There are also 13 elected independents and 4 United and 7 Greens Senators. The Senators are elected using a preferential quota system. In which, (in a regular election) the quota of first preferences required is 34% of the vote. In a double-dissolution election, that quota is halved to 17%.
Appointed Senators
A split appointed bench of 5 independents, 15 Tory and 15 Labor Senators.
These appointed Senators have special requirements, unlike regular Senators, their seats can remain vacant but when appointed cannot be dismissed until the conclusion of the entire eight year term. Their commission to the Senate can be rescinded after six years of service without warning or at the request of the President and with the assent of the House of Commons, in such a case, the vacant seat must be filled within six months or by conclusion of the session of Parliament, whichever is first.
President Perales has announced his intention to reappoint Senators (should they be willing to depart) to further balance the Senate.
