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Parliament of Romania
Parlamentul României
LV Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Houses Senatul
Camera Deputaților
History
Founded 1862
Leadership
Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, ALDE
Since 10 March 2014
Marcel Ciolacu, PSD
Since 29 May 2019
Structure
Seats 136 Senators
329 Deputies
SEN2016.svg
Senate political groups
Government (81)
  •      PSD (69)
  •      ALDE (12)

Opposition (55)

  •      PNL (25)
  •      USR (13)
  •      UDMR (9)
  •      Non-inscrits (8)
CDEP2016.svg
Chamber of Deputies political groups
Government (158)
  •      PSD (139)
  •      ALDE (19)

Confidence and supply (16)

  •      National minorities (16)

Opposition (156)

  •      PNL (69)
  •      USR (27)
  •      PRO Romania (24)
  •      UDMR (21)
  •      PMP (12)
  •      Non-inscrits (2)
  •      National minorities (FDGR) (1)
Senate committees
Chamber of Deputies committees
Joint committees


Elections
1992 – 2008, 2016 - present: Closed list, D'Hondt method
2008 - 2016: Mixed member proportional representation
Chamber of Deputies voting system
1992 – 2008, 2016 - present: Closed list, D'Hondt method
2008 - 2016: Mixed member proportional representation
Senate last election
December 11, 2016
Chamber of Deputies last election
December 11, 2016
Senate next election
2020
Chamber of Deputies next election
2020
Meeting place
Romania-1170 - Palace of the Parliament (7557749966).jpg
Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania
Website
http://www.parlament.ro/

The Parliament of Romania (Parlamentul României) is the main law-making body of Romania. It is made up of two separate parts: the Chamber of Deputies (Camera Deputaților) and the Senate (Senat). Both parts meet in the impressive Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest.

Romania's Parliament: How It Works

Romania's Parliament is a bicameral legislature. This means it has two "chambers" or "houses." Think of it like a two-story building where each floor has a special job. Before 2003, both houses had the exact same powers. A new law had to be approved by both of them in the same way.

Making New Laws

Today, both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate still need to approve new laws. However, each house now has certain topics it gets to discuss first. This is called being the "deciding chamber" (cameră decizională).

  • If the first house (the deciding chamber) approves a proposed law, it then goes to the other house.
  • The second house can either approve the law or suggest changes.
  • If the second house makes changes, the law is sent back to the first house (the deciding chamber). The decision of the first house on these changes is final.

A Look at the Two Houses

The Parliament has two main parts:

  • The Senate: This house has 136 members called Senators.
  • The Chamber of Deputies: This house has 329 members called Deputies.

Together, these members represent the people of Romania and work to create laws that help the country.

What Are Parliamentary Committees?

Both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies have special groups called committees. These committees are like smaller teams that focus on specific topics. For example, there are committees for:

  • Law and justice
  • Money and banking
  • Education and health
  • Foreign affairs

These committees carefully study proposed laws and issues related to their topic before the full house votes on them. This helps make sure laws are well-thought-out.

Voting for Parliament Members

The way people vote for members of Parliament has changed over time.

  • From 1992 to 2008, and again from 2016 until now, Romania uses a system where voters choose from party lists.
  • Between 2008 and 2016, a different system was used, which mixed different ways of voting.

The last elections for both houses were held on December 11, 2016. The next elections are expected in 2020.

The Parliament's Home

The Parliament meets in the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest. This is one of the largest buildings in the world! It's where all the important discussions and decisions about Romania's future take place.

Referendum on Parliament Size

In 2009, people in Romania voted in a special election called a referendum. They were asked if they wanted to change the Parliament to have only one house instead of two, and to reduce the number of representatives to 300. Even though most people voted "yes," the results of this referendum were not legally binding. To actually make these changes, another referendum specifically about changing the Constitution would be needed.

See also

In Spanish: Parlamento de Rumania para niños

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