CHAPTER XI THE LEGISLATURE

First Section
EXERCISE OF LEGISLATIVE POWERS

Article 69
The Legislator, the Government and the other organs of government shall respect the rules of the Constitution.

Article 70
The Legislative Power shall be exercised jointly by the National Assembly and the Government.

Second Section
POWERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Article 71

1. The National Assembly shall have the power to decide over all proposals of law that will be submitted before it for approval.
2. The National Assembly shall have the power to decide by 2/3 majority on organizing a People’s Assembly or a plebiscite in the cases provided for by law or if the National Assembly thinks right to do so.
3. The National Assembly lays down its Rules of order. These Rules of Order shall be promulgated by a decision of state.

Article 72
Without prejudice to what is reserved elsewhere in the Constitution for regulation by law, the following subjects shall certainly be determined by law:

a.Treaties, subject to what is determined in article 104;

b.The amending of the Constitution;

c.The declaration or the termination of the state of war, the civil or military state of emergency

d.The determination and change of the political-administrative partitioning of the Republic of Suriname;

e.The determination of the extent and boundaries of the territorial waters and the rights of the Republic of Suriname to the adjacent continental shelf and the economic zone;

f.The creation of a development council for national development;

g.The granting of amnesty or pardon.

Article 73
The socio-economic and political policy to be followed by the Government shall be previously approved by the National Assembly.

EXECUTIVE TASKS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Article 74
The National Assembly has the following executive tasks:

a.The election of the President and the Vice-President;

b.The proposal for nomination to the President of the chairman and vice-chairman, the members and the surrogate members of the organ charged with the supervision and control of the expenditure of the state finances.

Third Section
LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE
RIGHTS OF AMENDMENT INITIATIVE, INTERROGATION AND INVESTIGATION

Article 75

1. The President introduces the proposals of law or other Government proposals before the National Assembly in a written message.
2. Public debate on any received Government proposal shall always be preceded by an examination of that proposal.
3. The National Assembly shall determine in its Rules of Order the manner in which such examination shall be made.

Article 76
The National Assembly shall have the right of amendment in a proposal of law of the Government.

Article 77

1. If the National Assembly resolves to pass the proposal either unchanged or changed, it shall notify the President thereof.
2. If the National Assembly resolves not to pass the proposal it shall also give notice thereof to the President, with the request to consider anew the proposal. As long as the National Assembly has not taken a decision, the President shall continue to have the power to withdraw the proposal which he introduced.

Article 78
Every member to the National Assembly shall have the right to introduce proposals of law to the National Assembly.

Article 79
The National Assembly shall have the right of examination, that is to be regulated by law.

Article 80

1. All bills passed by the National Assembly and approved by the President shall acquire force of law after promulgation.
2. The laws shall be inviolable, subject to what is stated in article 137.

Fourth Section
PROCEDURE

Article 81
Annually, on the first working day of September, the President shall address the National Assembly on the policy to be followed by the Government.

Article 82
All meetings of the National Assembly shall be held in public, except in special cases when it decides to convene behind closed doors.

Article 83

1. The National Assembly may not commence deliberation or take decisions if no more than one half its members are present.
2. All decisions of the National Assembly, except those regarding the amendment of the Constitution, the election of the President, the decision to organize plebiscite and to hold a People’s Assembly, and those regarding the amendment of the Law on Elections as well as the case described in Article 83, paragraph (4), shall be taken by an absolute majority of votes.
3. For the amendment of the Constitution, the election of the President, the decision to organize a plebiscite and a People’s Assembly, and for the amendment of the Law on Elections, a majority of at least 2/3 of the number of members of the National Assembly shall be required.

Article 84

1. If, at a meeting attended by all those who are at that moment members of the National Assembly, the votes are equally divided, the proposal shall be regarded as not having been passed.
2. If, at a meeting not attended by all those who are at the moment members of the National Assembly, the votes are equally divided, the decision shall be postponed until a subsequent meeting. In that meeting the proposal is, if the votes are equally divided, regarded as not having been passed.
3. Voting is oral and by roll call, but when persons are to be appointed or nominated, voting is by closed and unsigned voting papers.
4. The meeting can decide by at least two thirds of the votes cast that a specific matter shall be voted by closed and unsigned voting papers.

Article 85

1. The Government shall provide the National Assembly with the requested information either in writing or orally. It can be invited by the National Assembly to attend the meeting.
2. The Government can attend meetings of the National Assembly as well as the People’s Assembly. It has an advisory vote in those meetings. It can be assisted in the meetings by experts.

Article 86
The law regulates the financial provisions for the benefit of the members and former members of the national Assembly and their surviving relatives.

Article 87

1. The National Assembly appoints, suspends and discharges its clerk. The clerk may not at the same time be a member of the National Assembly.
2. The law regulates his position.

Fifth Section
IMMUNITY

Article 88
The chairman, the members of the National Assembly, the Government and the experts referred to in article 85, paragraph (2), shall be exempt from criminal prosection for anything they have said at the assembly or have submitted to it in writing, except that if in so doing they had made public what was said or submitted under obligation of secrecy in a closed meeting.

Article 89
The National Assembly is bound to inform the district councils in a manner to be laid down by law about decisions taken or viewpoints expressed that are of significance to their districts.