Mava Council

Parliament of the Commonwealth of Mava Kausaakkavtaagik Maava Yakiinaigaalu
50th Parliament of Mava
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Nominated Assembly Legislative Assembly
Leadership
President of the Nominated Assembly	Vauta Laumaasi, Independent since 12 May 2021
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly	Aamikat Uuyukluq, Independent since 11 January 2023
Structure
Seats	86 25 (Nominated Assembly) 61 (Legislative Assembly)
Nominated Assembly political groups	Independent (25)
Legislative Assembly political groups	Government (39)   Progressive Party (39) Opposition (22)   Labour Movement (15)   Democracy and Renewal (5)   Independent (2)
Elections
Legislative Assembly last election	11 May 2023
Legislative Assembly next election	before 8 May 2025
Meeting place
Website
Nominated Assembly - official website Legislative Assembly - official website

The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Mava (Mavean: Kausaakkavtaagik; lit. Lawmakers) is the bicameral legislature of Mava, consisting of the Nominated Assembly (Okiigokaiqaawnuktaagik) and the Legislative Assembly (Kausaakkavakak). Both chambers meet at the Kausaakkavtaagikakitat in Paas.

The current Parliament was established in the 1925 Constitution, replacing the colonial-era Legislative Council. The Council was established by the Atitlanese colonial authorities in 1908 to advise the governor in policymaking. The council did not have the power of veto and had only a consultative role, with no power to even propose legislation. In 1925, upon independence, the Council was replaced with the current Parliament. Between 1925 and 1943, the Parliament was largely subordinate to the personalist regime of Kuraava Tanigak. Following constitutional amendments in 1943, which replaced the presidential system with a parliamentary system, Parliament assumed exclusive control over the legislative power and also took over nominal executive powers.

The members of the Legislative Assembly are elected for two years via first-past-the-post. Members represent multi-member constituencies (apart from Taagokiajut, which has a single-member at-large constituency). The 25 members of the Nominated Assembly are appointed by the President-in-Council on the advice of the Joint Committee on Appointments, a body composed of members of both houses. For laws to pass, they must receive the approval of the Legislative Assembly and must be confirmed to be lawful and constitutional by the Nominated Assembly.

History

The Parliament of Mava was created on 1 April 1925 through the Mavean Independence Act, passed by the Atitlanese Congress. The members were carried over from the membership of the Legislative Council, which had served as the appointed advisory body to the colonial governor. Under the interim provisions, Mava was governed by a Transitional Government of the Parliament, appointed by Parliament to govern until elections could be held. The first elections were held on 14 May 1925, with Kuraava Tanigak appointed president by Parliament. The body was made permanent following the passage of the first Mavean constitution in September 1925, with the division of its powers between the newly established Nominated Assembly and Legislative Assembly.

The 1943 constitution radically increased the powers of parliament, transforming Mava from a presidential to a parliamentary republic. The prime minister, a member of the Legislative Assembly, formally became head of government and answerable to the Legislative Assembly rather than the president. The Legislative Assembly also assumed powers to dismiss governments with the abolition of the assembly-independent system, and its members became the sole initiators of legislation, with the president previously able to propose bills. The Nominated Assembly had its power of veto removed, now only able to recommend amendments and supervise the drafting of laws. It remains responsible for ensuring the legality of any laws passed in the lower house.

Under the 1943 constitution, the president of the parliament appointed a "Grand Committee of the Parliament", composed of members of both houses appointed for the purpose of electing the president and approving the nominations of judges and other officials. The body was abolished in 1994; a Parliamentary Convention was created to elect the president, whilst responsibility for approving nominations was transferred to the Legislative Assembly.

Composition

Parliament consists of the President; an upper house, the Nominated Assembly; and a lower house, the Legislative Assembly. Each constituent part has its own responsibilities distinct from the other parts, although all three work in conjunction as part of the legislative process. Members of the lower house are called "members of the Legislative Assembly" (Kausaakkavakakat; lit. "Lawmaker"), whilst members of the Nominated Assembly are called "Nominated Members" (Okiigokaiqok lit. "Nominee").

No individual may sit in both chambers at the same time.

Nominated Assembly

The legislative authority of the Nominated Assembly is subordinate to that of the Legislative Assembly, and it has no power in its own right to restrict or deny the authority of the latter. However, it plays an important role within the legislative process, with all legislation required to be presented to the Nominated Assembly prior to its promulgation by the president.

Nominated Members are appointed by the President-in-Council on the advice of the Joint Committee on Appointments. 25 members are appointed, representing different areas of society and selected for their knowledge and expertise. The Joint Committee on Appointment recommends the following structure of appointments: 5 members from the judiciary; 5 members from the social sector (including the voluntary sector); 5 members from industry and commerce; 5 members from organised labour; 3 members representing culture and the arts; and 2 members representing agriculture and fisheries. Members are appointed for life, although are required to resign at the age of 75. Members are required to sit as independents.

The primary role of the Nominated Assembly is quasi-judicial. It ensures that legislation approved in the Legislative Assembly complies with the constitution and with existing law. In the majority of cases, this requires only a review of the law by a select panel of members rather than the participation of the whole house. Aside from its power of review, the Nominated Assembly may also recommend amendments to proposed legislation, which is returned to the Legislative Assembly for consideration. The Legislative Assembly is not required to approve, or even debate, amendments proposed in the Nominated Assembly.

Legislative Assembly

The Legislative Assembly is the elected component of the Mavean Parliament, with each member elected by a plurality of voters in each of the country's electoral constituencies. The requirements to run one of the 61 seats in the Legislative Assembly are that they be at least 18 years old, not be completing any criminal sentence, and be elegible to vote in national elections. Members hold their seats until Parliament is dissolved, after which they may seek re-election.

The Legislative Assembly is the "principal legislative body" and is established as the more powerful of the two parliamentary houses. All legislation is required to be introduced to the Legislative Assembly and be approved by its members. The Legislative Assembly also has exclusive control over money matters, possessing power of the purse and ultimate responsibility for the budget.

In addition to its legislative role, the Legislative Assembly is responsible for nominating the prime minister for appointment by the President. The assembly may, by a constructive motion of no confidence, request the president to dismiss the government. However, no such motion has ever been successful. Furthermore, the Legislative Assembly elects members of the Parliamentary Convention, which is tasked with electing the President. The government is officially responsible to the Legislative Assembly and answers to it. Officially the Executive Committee of the Legislative Assembly, the government convenes as a committee of the assembly rather than as an independent body, and derives its powers from the assembly.

Powers and role

Under the constitution, there is no legal or constitutional separation between the executive and legislative branches. The government is officially called the "Executive Committee of the Parliament" and derives its powers from Parliament. In practice, there is a separation of functions, although officially the government and parliament constitute one single corporation governed by the constitution and relevant laws.

The Parliament is constituted in the Constitution as the supreme representative body of the people of the Republic of Mava. It is convened in two sessions each year, the first session on the second Monday of January and the second session on the second Monday of September. Extraordinary sessions may be called by the President, the Prime Minister or by one-fifth of members.

The constitution and laws relating to Parliament provide for the following functions:

• Adopting, amending, or repealing enactments to the constitution;
• enacting, amending, or repealing statutory laws;
• approve the budget;
• elect the president;
• approve nominations for judicial offices and appointments to the Council of State;
• approving the nomination of the prime minister;
• hold the government to account;
• convene as a court of impeachment for trials of public officers;
• approve international treaties.

The president's role in the legislative branch is nominal. They summon and dissolve Parliament and formally open its sessions following an election. They may address its members and send messages to it. However, they are obliged (although not legally required) to sign laws passed in the Assembly; they may refer laws for judicial review, but this is rarely done.

Elections

General elections occur whenever Parliament is dissolved. Dissolutions occur automatically two years from the date of the first meeting of Parliament, although it is common for dissolutions to occur in March, at least six weeks prior to the date of the next election. Elections are usually held in the second week of May (generally a Thursday), following an electoral campaign of no less than 35 days. Candidates are usually nominated by political parties, although a small number of independent candidates have won seats. Candidates are usually elected in local party meetings in the relevant constituency, although the law does not mandate this and several candidates have historically been selected by the national party rather than local members.

Candidates are required to file a nomination paper bearing the signatures of at least 50 constituents. Each constituency returns one member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post electoral system, under which the winning candidate needs only the plurality of the vote instead of an outright majority. To stand as and vote for a candidate, one must be a Mavean citizen and at least eighteenth years of age. Additional eligibility requirements are imposed on electoral candidates.

Members serve a two year term. Should a member die, resign, or otherwise cease to hold their seat, a by-election is held in the relevant constituency under the same rules and procedures as in general elections. Individuals expelled by Parliament are not permitted to run in the following by-election, although they may be a candidate in the next general election (even if no subsequent by-election is held).

Constituencies

61 members are returned from multi-member constituencies or single-member constituencies. Each district is divided into a number of seats based on their population, each returning an allocated number of members. The distribution of constituencies is reviewed every ten years by the Mavean Elections Office.

District	Seats	MPs
Aasqaalet	2	11
Miilep	2	12
Paas	4	23
Pmaak	3	6
Sigaak	2	4
Sittiyaa	1	2
Taagokiajut	1	1
Outer Islands	1	2

The current set of constituency boundaries came into effect ahead of the May 2015 parliamentary elections. Prior to this, Paas had 6 seats, which were re-allocated to Aasqaalet and Pmaak.

2023 election

Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Progressive Party of the Mavean Islands	14,291	40.84	-1.21	39	0
	Political Congress of the Mavean Labour Movement	11,102	31.73	+4.33	15	+1
	Democracy and Renewal	3,755	10.73	-1.71	5	+1
	Mavean People's Party	1,921	5.49	-1.24	0	-1
	Independents	3,920	11.20	-0.17	2	-2
Total		34,989	100.00	–	61	0
Valid votes		31,989	98.49
Invalid/blank votes		491	1.51
Total votes		32,480	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		51,072	63.60
Source: Mavean Elections Office

See also

• Politics of Mava
• Culture of Mava

External links

• Parliament of Mava. aawnuhiuakak.mv