National Assembly (Akashi)
National Assembly of Akashi | |
|---|---|
| 24th Assembly | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 September 1942 |
| Preceded by | Constituent Assembly |
| Leadership | |
Damjanus | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 400 |
 | |
Political groups | Government (189)
Supported by (64)
Opposition (147)
|
| Committees |
|
| Elections | |
Parallel voting
| |
Last election | 25 June 2022 |
Next election | 27 June 2026 |
| 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 appointed from outside its membership.
It is commonly referred to as "the Assembly" (国会 Kokkai; 𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃 Gaqumþs), and its members as "members of the National Assembly" (国会議員 Kokkai giin; 𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 Gaqumþsgadaila), abbreviated "MNAs".
History
The National Assembly was established by the Constitution of 1941, with the first elections taking place in 1942. It succeeded the Constituent Assembly, 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" passed in 1969 implemented parallel voting, 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:
- A bill is proposed, either by a member of the government or by any individual assemblymember.
- The bill is referred to the relevant committee, where it is considered in detail.
- The National Assembly debates the recommendation from the committee. If the bill is dismissed, the procedure ends.
- A second debate is held after 3 days, ending with a new vote. If successful, the bill is sent to the President to sign.
- 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; 𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃𐍆𐌰𐌸𐍃 Gaqumþsfaþs). 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 "members of the National Assembly" (国会議員 Kokkai giin; 𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐍃𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 Gaqumþsgadaila), abbreviated "MNAs". They have parliamentary privilege for actions and statements made during legislative sessions, but not parliamentary immunity.
MNAs 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. MNAs 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 (国会 議事堂 Kokkai-gijidō; 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌿𐌼𐌸𐌴 𐍂𐌰𐌶𐌽 Þiudagaqumþē Razn) is located in Hirakawa. It houses the debating chamber, the records of parliamentary debates, the committee rooms, and the offices of the MNAs.
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 MNAs 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 | 22 April 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 |
| 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 | 1 June 2022 | Kōko Kaga cabinet |
| 2022 | 24th Assembly | 1 September 2022 | Incumbent | Mizuki Kōhara cabinet |
