The National Council (Slovene: Državni svet) is according to the Constitution of Slovenia the representative of social, economic, professional and local interest groups in Slovenia and has a legislative function working as a corrective mechanism of the National Assembly, although it does not itself pass acts.[3] It may be regarded as an upper house, but the bicameralism is distinctively incomplete.[4] It is not elected directly by the population, but is meant to represent different interest groups in the country. The councillors are elected for a five-year term. Elections to the National Council are not regulated by the Constitution, but by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly.
National Council Državni svet Republike Slovenije | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 23 December 1992[1] |
| Leadership | |
President | Marko Lotrič since 19 December 2022 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 5 years |
| Elections | |
| Indirect first-past-the-post | |
Last election | 22 and 23 November 2017[2] |
Next election | Autumn 2022 |
| Meeting place | |
| Council Chamber Ljubljana, Slovenia | |
| Website | |
| www | |
The current president of the National Council is Marko Lotrič from 19 December 2022.
Composition
editThe council has 40 members:[5]
- 22 representatives of local interests,
- 6 representatives of non-commercial activities,
- 4 representatives of employers,
- 4 of employees,
- 4 representatives of farmers, crafts, trades and independent professionals.
History
editPrior to 1992, the Parliament of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia had a tricameral structure, comprising a Sociopolitical Assembly, a Municipalities' Assembly, and an Assembly of United Labor. The National Council is the successor of the latter two chambers, and is similarly geared toward the representation of local and occupational interests.
Competences
editMost of the National Council's powers are advisory in nature. It may:
- propose laws or amendments to the National Assembly
- present a resolution on a matter to the National Assembly
- request a parliamentary inquiry by the National Assembly into a matter
- demand the National Assembly clarify or disambiguate a law
- petition the Constitutional Court to review a law or regulation for compliance with the constitution
The Council also possesses a single non-advisory power, the suspensive veto: it may by majority vote force the National Assembly to conduct a second vote on any new law within seven days of its passage, with the law suspended from effect in the meantime. A law overridden by a Council veto requires an absolute majority on its second passage in the National Assembly. Laws pertaining solely to the state budget are not subject to the veto, and the Council cannot veto the same law a second time.
Presidents of the National Council
edit- Ivan Kristan (LDS): 23 December 1992 – 17 December 1997
- Tone Hrovat (SLS): 17 December 1997 – 17 December 2002
- Janez Sušnik (DeSUS): 17 December 2002 – 12 December 2007
- Blaž Kavčič (LDS / SMS-Zeleni): 12 December 2007 – 12 December 2012
- Mitja Bervar (LDS / SMC) 12 December 2012 – 12 December 2017
- Alojz Kovšca (GAS / Concretely) 12 December 2017 – 19 December 2022
- Marko Lotrič (independent) 19 December 2022
References
edit- ^ "History". Državni svet Republike Slovenije. December 3, 2013.
- ^ "Volitve v Državni svet RS - Leto 2017". Državna volilna komisija (in Slovenian). Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ "U-I-295/07-8" (in Slovenian). Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia. 22 October 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
- ^ Lakota, Igor (2006). Sistem nepopolne dvodomnosti v slovenskem parlamentu (diplomska naloga) [The system of incomplete bicameralism in the Slovenian Parliament (diploma thesis)] (PDF) (in Slovenian). Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana. p. 62. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
- ^ According to the information that can be found at the website of the National Council Archived 2006-04-22 at the Wayback Machine
External links
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