National Assembly (Akashi)

National Assembly of Akashi 国民議会 Kokumin gikai (Miranian) 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃 þiudagaqumþs (Gothic)
23rd Assembly
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	1 September 1942
Leadership
Speaker of the National Assembly	Damjanus
Structure
Seats	400
Political groups	Government   Socialist Party   Green Party   National Cooperative Party   National Union Supported by   Communist Party   Social Credit Party   Justice Party   New Frontier Party   Future Party Opposition   Moderate People's Party   United Reform Party   Liberal Party   Conservative National Party   Akashi Renewal Party   Independents
Committees	23 Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Cabinet Constitutional Affairs and Law Cooperatives Culture and Arts Defense Economy and Finance Education Environment Foreign Affairs General Affairs Health Labour Oversight Provincial and Prefectural Governance Public Accounts Public Safety Public Petitions and Referendums Public Welfare Rules and Procedure Science Sport and Tourism Transport
Elections
Voting system	Parallel voting Single-transferable vote (200 seats) Party-list proportional representation (200 seats)
Last election	30 June 2018
Next election	25 June 2022
Meeting place
National Assembly Building, Hirakawa
Website
http://www.kokkai.aks/

The National Assembly (Miranian: 国民議会 Kokumin gikai, Gothic: 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃 þiudagaqumþs) is the unicameral national legislature of Akashi. It was established by the Constitution of 1941. It has 400 members, elected every 4 years through parallel voting.

The National Assembly is the supreme legislative body at the national level. It makes laws, adopts budgets, and approves the Prime Minister and their cabinet. Uniquely among Tyranian legislatures, its speaker is a non-political expert in parliamentary procedure rather than chosen from its membership.

It is commonly referred to as "the Assembly" (国会 Kokkai), and its members as "assemblymembers" (国会議員 Kokkai giin, 𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 Gaqumþsgadaila), abbreviated "AMs".

History

The National Assembly was established by the Constitution of 1941, with the first elections taking place in 1942. It succeeded the Constituent Assembly (憲法議会 Kenpō gikai), elected in 1940 to draft the constitution.

Initially, it had 200 seats elected through nationwide party-list proportional representation. Reforms to "open up the system" implemented parallel voting in 1970, and its size was doubled to 400 seats in 1982.

Its building was stormed, occupied, and vandalised twice: during the Summer of Freedom in 1968, and during the anti-neoliberal conspiracy protests in 1990. Both occupations forced a premature end to their respective legislative sessions.

Legislative functions

The National Assembly is the national legislature of Akashi and fulfils the appropriate functions. It enacts laws, approves the budgets, amends the constitution, approves the cabinet and scrutinises its activities.

Its legislative session lasts from September to June, with a break over the new year period. Extraordinary sessions may be called while it is out of session, by request of the President, cabinet, or at least a third of members.

Procedure

The legislative procedure has 5 stages:

1. A bill is proposed, either by a member of the government or by any individual assemblymember.
2. The bill is referred to the relevant committee, where it is considered in detail.
3. The National Assembly debates the recommendation from the committee. If the bill is dismissed, the procedure ends.
4. A second debate is held after 3 days, ending with a new vote. If successful, the bill is sent to the President to sign.
5. A supplementary debate can be held to consider amendments to the bill, or if the President refuses to sign the bill and returns it to the National Assembly.

The procedure can also be delayed in order to refer a bill to a referendum.

Most bills are passed by simple majority, but constitutional amendments require approval by two-thirds of members.

Committees

Much of the National Assembly's legislative work is done in committees, which have an important advisory and revising role in the absence of an upper house.

The current committees are as follows:

• Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• Cabinet
• Constitutional Affairs and Law
• Cooperatives
• Culture and Arts
• Defense
• Economy and Finance
• Education
• Environment
• Foreign Affairs
• General Affairs
• Health
• Labour
• Oversight
• Provincial and Prefectural Governance
• Public Accounts
• Public Safety
• Public Petitions and Referendums
• Public Welfare
• Rules and Procedure
• Science
• Sport and Tourism
• Transport

Organisation

The quorum for the National Assembly is half the membership. Deliberations are in public unless two-thirds of those present vote otherwise.

Procedure, standing orders, and disciplinary measures are determined by the Rules and Procedure Committee.

The National Assembly is empowered to compel people to testify before its committees and answer questions put to them. It can direct the police to enforce such orders.

Votes

All votes in the National Assembly are recorded, and are done electronically.

Proxy voting is used if a member cannot attend a vote in person.

Speaker

Legislative sessions are presided by the speaker (議長 Gichō). Unique for Tyranian legislatures, the speaker is not chosen from among assemblymembers. Instead, they are an expert in parliamentary procedure appointed to maintain order, ensure debates proceed smoothly, and formally announce the results of a vote.

Frequently, the position is used to honour civil servants and intellectuals for their service to Akashi. Speakers are not allowed to have any political affiliations while in office.

Because the speaker is not an assemblymember, they do not have a casting vote. A tied vote on a bill or budget is thus a defeat.

Members

Members of the National Assembly are known as "assemblymembers" (国会議員 Kokkai giin, 𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 Gaqumþsgadaila), abbreviated "AMs". They have parliamentary privilege for actions and statements made during legislative sessions, but not parliamentary immunity.

AMs receive a monthly taxable remuneration, not a salary, and may be compensated for expenses necessary to perform their duties. They may travel for free on public transport for purposes related to legislative work. AMs representing constituencies far from Hirakawa may be allocated a second apartment in the capital.

They are aided in their work by personal assistants, formally employed by the National Assembly.

Building

The National Assembly Building

The National Assembly Building (国会 議事堂 Kokkai-gijidō) is located in Hirakawa. It houses the debating chamber, the records of parliamentary debates, the committee rooms, and the offices of the AMs.

The central hall of the building is a well-known tourist attraction. The floor features elaborate decorations depicting hidari-mitsudomoe in the national colours and reproductions of traditional Gothic polychrome treasure pieces. The ceiling is made of stained glass and features oil paintings of Akashian landscapes.

Access to the debating chamber is only allowed with a member badge or identity document, with no exceptions. Members of the public can watch proceedings from the public gallery.

The debating chamber uses a hemicycle seating arrangement. Political parties are seated facing the speaker from left to right based on their position on the political spectrum. Independent AMs are always seated in the centre.

Broadcasting

The National Assembly's proceedings are broadcast by AKH Kokkai.

All parliamentary footage is public domain.

Composition

Election	Assembly	Inaugurated	Dissolved	Cabinets
1940	Constituent Assembly	20 May 1940	1 June 1942	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1942	1st Assembly	1 September 1942	1 June 1946	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1946	2nd Assembly	1 September 1946	1 June 1950	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1950	3rd Assembly	1 September 1950	1 June 1954	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1954	4th Assembly	1 September 1954	1 June 1958	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1958	5th Assembly	1 September 1958	1 June 1962	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1962	6th Assembly	1 September 1962	1 June 1966	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1966	7th Assembly	1 September 1966	1 June 1970	Yurika Ehara cabinet
1970	8th Assembly	1 September 1970	1 April 1972	Masaki Ōshiro cabinet
1972	9th Assembly	8 May 1972	1 June 1974	Tarō Yukimura cabinet Kasumi Kuroki cabinet
1974	10th Assembly	1 September 1974	1 June 1978	Kasumi Kuroki cabinet Naoko Nemoto interim cabinet Yumiko Nagatsuki cabinet
1978	11th Assembly	1 September 1978	1 June 1980	Yumiko Nagatsuki cabinet Hikaru Katayama cabinet Yumiko Nagatsuki cabinet
1980	12th Assembly	1 September 1980	1 June 1982	Toshirō Kuno interim cabinet Mutsuhito Ōe interim cabinet Þiudawulþus interim cabinet
1982	13th Assembly	1 September 1982	1 June 1986	Ran Tsukuda cabinet
1986	14th Assembly	1 September 1986	1 March 1990	Ran Tsukuda cabinet Ichirō Kondō cabinet
1990	15th Assembly	1 April 1990	1 June 1994	Shinobu Furukawa cabinet
1994	16th Assembly	1 September 1994	1 June 1998	Shinobu Furukawa cabinet
1998	17th Assembly	1 September 1998	1 December 1999	Shinobu Furukawa cabinet
1999	18th Assembly	3 January 2000	1 June 2002	Ran Tsukuda cabinet
2002	19th Assembly	1 September 2002	1 June 2006	Anna Carbone cabinet
2006	20th Assembly	1 September 2006	1 June 2010	Anna Carbone cabinet
2010	21st Assembly	1 September 2010	1 June 2014	Kōko Kaga cabinet
2014	22nd Assembly	1 September 2014	1 June 2018	Kōko Kaga cabinet
2018	23rd Assembly	1 September 2018	Incumbent	Kōko Kaga cabinet