Federal Parliament of Somalia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Federal Parliament of SomaliaBaarlamaanka Federaalka Soomaaliya |
|
|---|---|
| 11th Somali Parliament | |
 |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Upper house (Senate) Lower house (House of the People) |
| History | |
| Founded | 20 August 1956 |
| Leadership | |
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Speaker of the Senate of Somalia
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Abdi Hashi Abdullahi
Since 22 January 2017 |
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Speaker of the House of the People of Somalia
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Aden Madobe
Since 28 April 2022 |
| Seats | 275 MPs and 54 senators |
| Elections | |
| Indirect first-past-the-post | |
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Last election
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2021–2022 |
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Next election
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TBD |
| Meeting place | |
| Mogadishu, Somalia | |
The Federal Parliament of Somalia is Somalia's national law-making body. It was created in August 2012. The parliament is located in the capital city, Mogadishu. It has two main parts: an Upper House (called the Senate) and a Lower House (called the House of the People).
Contents
Parliamentary History
Somalia's first parliament after gaining independence was the National Assembly. This was from 1960 to 1969. It had only one house.
Later, the House of the People was formed in 1969. This parliament did not work during the Somali Civil War. In 2012, a new Federal Parliament was set up. It also had one house at first. In 2016, it changed to have two houses, with the creation of the Senate of Somalia.
How the Federal Parliament Was Created
The Plan for Change
Leaders in Somalia wanted to create a stable government. They made a plan called the "Roadmap for the End of Transition." This plan aimed to set up lasting democratic groups by August 2012.
In February 2012, leaders met in Garowe. They talked about how to move forward. They agreed to create a new parliament. This parliament would have two houses. One house would have 54 senators. The other would have 225 members. They also decided that 30% of the new parliament's members would be women.
On June 23, leaders approved a new draft constitution. This constitution was then voted on by a large group of elders. These elders came from different Somali clans. On August 1, most of them voted yes. This new constitution needed the parliament to approve it to become official.
Choosing Members
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On August 18, 2012, a list of new parliament members was shared. Many lawmakers were officially sworn in on August 20. An independent group called the Technical Selection Committee (TSC) checked the people who wanted to be in parliament.
The TSC made sure that candidates met certain rules. For example, they had to be Somali citizens. They needed to have a high school diploma. They also had no links to warlords or armed groups. The United Nations and African Union helped the TSC with information.
First Meeting
The first meeting of the new parliament happened on August 20, 2012. It took place at the Mogadishu airport. The main parliament building was being fixed up. Many members of parliament were sworn in that day. They also chose a temporary Speaker.
The 10th Parliament (2016)
The tenth Parliament of Somalia started on December 27, 2016.
A United Nations official, Michael Keating, spoke about the changes. He noted that the Upper House now had 54 members. These members were chosen based on their federal state. Also, more than 13,000 people could vote, not just 135 elders as before. About 30% of these voters were women. Voting happened in six different places in Somalia.
The term for these parliament members ended on December 27, 2020. Somalia did not have a parliament until the 11th Parliament started in 2022.
The 11th Parliament (2022)
Members of the 11th Federal Parliament of Somalia were sworn in on April 14, 2022. This happened in Mogadishu. Most members of both the House of the People and the Senate took their promises.
Abdi Hashi Abdullahi was chosen again as the Speaker of the Senate. Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe became the Speaker of the House of the People. Other leaders were also elected for both houses.
Speaker of Parliament
The Speaker is like the leader of the parliament. On August 20, 2012, General Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle was chosen as the temporary Speaker. He also acted as President for a short time. On August 28, 2012, Mohamed Osman Jawari was elected as the Speaker. He had been a minister before.
What the Parliament Does
The Federal Parliament of Somalia is the part of the government that makes laws. The Federal Government of Somalia is the part that carries out these laws.
The parliament has several important jobs:
- It chooses the President of Somalia.
- It also elects the Speaker and Deputy Speakers for the parliament itself.
- It can create new laws and stop old ones.
- The parliament decides how many regional states Somalia will have. It also sets their borders.
In 2014, a special committee was formed. This committee helps manage the process of federalism in Somalia. Federalism means sharing power between the central government and regional states.
How the Parliament is Made Up
The Federal Parliament of Somalia has two houses: the Upper House (Senate) and the Lower House (House of the People). Many members are professionals and have university degrees.
A special rule says that at least 30% of the seats must be for women. This rule was put in place thanks to people like Somali parliamentary consultant Hodan Ahmed. She also helped create the Somali Women Parliamentary Association.
The first official list of members was shared on August 17, 2012.
Senate
The Senate is the Upper House. Its 54 senators were elected during the 2016 Somali parliamentary election.
House of the People
The House of the People is the Lower House. It is planned to have 275 members.
Committees
The Federal Parliament has many committees. These groups help the parliament do its work. They focus on different topics. Some examples include:
- Oversight, Review and Implementation Committee
- Rules of Procedure, Ethics, Discipline and Immunity Committee
- Judiciary, Religious Sites and Religious Affairs Committee
- Internal Affairs, Regional Administration and Security Committee
- Foreign Affairs Committee
- Defence Committee
- Human Rights, Women and Humanitarian Affairs Committee
- Social Services Development Committee
- National Resource Committee
In March 2015, the Federal Cabinet decided to create a new group. This group would help bring together Somalia's security forces.
List of Parliaments
- 1st Somali Parliament (1956–1960)
- 2nd Somali Parliament (1960–1964)
- 3rd Somali Parliament (1964–1968)
- 4th Somali Parliament (1968–1970)
- 5th Somali Parliament (1980–1986)
- 6th Somali Parliament (1986–1990)
- 7th Somali Parliament (2000–2004)
- 8th Somali Parliament (2004–2012)
- 9th Somali Parliament (2012–2016)
- 10th Somali Parliament (2016–2020)
- 11th Somali Parliament (2022–2026)
Voting System
The Provisional Constitution has rules about elections. It says that the House of the People will make special laws for how elections happen at the national level.
Term Length
Members of parliament are meant to serve for a certain time. The 10th Parliament members served from 2016 to 2020. Their term ended on December 27, 2020.
Memberships
The Federal Parliament of Somalia is part of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). This is an international group for parliaments around the world.
See also
- Cabinet of Somalia
- Judiciary of Somalia
- List of speakers of the Parliament of Somalia
