Article 34 [Representation]
(1) Pursuant, to the following provisions, the States are
represented in the Senate in proportion to the number of
nationals in each of them.
(2) The State with the largest number of citizens delegates
twelve members, every other State as many as the ratio in which
its nationals stand to those in the first-mentioned State, with
remainders which exceed half the coefficient counting as full.
However, every State is entitled to a representation of at least
three members. A substitute will be appointed for each member.
(3) The number of members to be delegated by each State
accordingly will be re-calculated after every general census by
the Federal President.
Article 35 [Election]
(1) The members of the Senate and their substitutes are elected
by the State Parliaments for the duration of their respective
legislative periods in accordance with the principle of
proportional representation, but at least one seat must fall to
the party having the second largest number of seats in a State
Parliament or, should several parties have the same number of
seats, the second highest number of votes at the last election to
the State Parliament. When the claims of several parties are
equal, the issue shall be decided by lot.
(2) The members of the Senate need not belong to the State
Parliament which delegates them, but they must be eligible for
that State Parliament.
(3) After expiry of the legislative period of a State Parliament
or after its dissolution, the members delegated by it to the
Senate remain in office until such time as the new State
Parliament has held the election to the Senate.
(4) The provisions of Articles 34 and 35 can only be amended, apart from the majority
of votes requisite in general to the adoption of a resolution
there, if in the Senate the majority of the representatives from
at least four States has approved the amendment.
Article 36 [Chairman, Convocation]
(1) The States succeed each other in alphabetical order every six
months in the chairmanship of the Senate.
(2) The representative who heads the delegation of the State
entitled to the chairmanship acts as Chairman; the appointment of
the Deputy Chairmen will be prescribed by the Senate's Standing
Orders.
(3) The Senate will be convoked by its Chairman at the seat of
the House of Representatives. The Chairman is bound immediately
to convoke the Senate if at least one quarter of its members or
the Federal Government so demands.
Article 37 [Quorum, Majority, Standing
Orders, Publicity]
(1) Save as provided differently by law, the presence of at least
one third of the members and an absolute majority of the votes
cast is requisite to a resolution by the Senate.
(2) The Senate furnishes itself with Standing Orders by way of
resolution. This resolution can only be adopted in the presence
of half the members with a two thirds majority of the votes cast.
(3) The meetings of the Senate are public. The public can,
pursuant to the provisions of the Standing Orders, be excluded by
resolution. The provisions of Article 33 also apply to public meetings
of the Senate and its committees.
Courts | G-Law | Home | Info | Keys | Model | Org | Others | Persons | SCiB | Search | Synonyms
© 1994 - 3 Nov. 1997 / For details and corrections
contact A. Tschentscher.