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Chamber of Deputies adopts constitutional reform bill
Tunis, 3 April 2002 (TunisiaOnline)
The Tunisian Chamber of Deputies (parliament) adopted Tuesday night a major constitutional reform bill. All members of parliament, except six who abstained, voted in favor of the bill as a whole.
The 182-seat Chamber of Deputies includes 34 opposition members representing political opposition parties. The majority party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally, holds the remainder of the seats.
A long plenary session discussion took place regarding the content and objectives of the amendments. The bill was examined prior to that by an ad-hoc committee in the Chamber of Deputies.
Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi replied to deputies' questions prior to an article-by-article vote. He noted that the committee held 16 meetings to allow opposition and majority members to discuss issues related to the amendments. He also said the government agreed to introduce a number of modifications to the proposed amendments based on committee recommendations. These changes have included lowering the minimum number of members of parliament needed to introduce a no-confidence resolution, from one half to one third of the deputies. A simple majority and not a two-third majority was also set as a minimum for such a resolution to pass. Upon a strong recommendation from the ad-hoc committee which examined the draft bill, the government also agreed to modify the minimum age for candidacy to the highest executive office from 70 to 75 years. Each presidential term remains limited to 5 years.
A total of 5 to 8 members abstained during each of the votes on the amendments contained in the five articles in question.
The constitutional amendment adopted by the Tunisian Chamber of Deputies aims at bolstering civil liberties and public freedoms, strengthening oversight over the constitutionality of laws and increasing the transparency of the electoral process. It also introduces into the constitution additional guarantees regarding the pretrial and preventive custody of defendants. The reform consecrates for the first time the notions of human rights, solidarity, mutual help and tolerance as part of the values enshrined in the Constitution.
One of the results of the amendment will be the setting up of a second legislative body, to be called « the chamber of advisers ». This new body will comprise about 120 members, elected for a six year-term. It will have one third less members than the 182-member chamber of deputies that will continue to play the central role in the legislative process.
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