NAME OF PARLIAMENT AND LOGO Junta General del Principado de Asturias
GENERAL DATA
General information about the region Located in the Northwest of Spain, the Principality of Asturias is a uniprovincial Autonomous Community that occupies an area of 10.603,57 km ². Its boundaries are bordered by natural accidents: the Cantabrian Sea, to the north, bathes its 334 km of coast and to the south, the Cantabrian Mountains separates the Principality of the Plateau. The rivers Eo and the Deva establish the dividing line against the neighbouring regions of Galicia and Cantabria respectively.
According to the latest population data, corresponding to 2016, Asturias has 1,042,608 inhabitants, which represents a decrease of 0.79% related to the previous year. In the fourth quarter of 2016, Asturias had an active population of 461.000 people, of which 393.800 were occupied, which meant a rate of unemployment of the 14.59 %, a percentage significantly below the average in Spain, where the unemployment rate amounted to 18.63%.
The GDP of Asturias reached 21,594,520 thousand euros in 2015, an increase of 3.9% over the previous year, slightly higher than that experienced by the GDP of Spain, which grew by 3.8%. In per capita terms, regional GDP rose in 2015 to 20,675 euros, equivalent to 88.8% of national GDP. Asturias is one of the European regions that has been able to design a profound change in its productive structure. The services sector is the one that contributes most to the Gross Added Value, 64.1%; Followed by industry, 19.6%; Construction, 6%; and the primary sector, 1.2%
General information of the Parliament
The Junta General of the Principality of Asturias is the Legislative Assembly of the autonomous region, its Parliament. It takes its name to the historical Junta General del Principado de Asturias which represented the Asturian districts before the Crown. Its origins go back to the 14th Century and exist until 1835 when the provincial councils were established.
Formed by 45 members, is elected by universal, free, equal, direct and secret suffrage by those who have the political status of Asturians: over eighteen years of age with an administrative neighbourhood in one of the Asturian councils or, residing abroad, have had the last administrative residence in Asturias and, if so requested, their descendants registered as Spanish.
The Junta General has a mandate for four years, although with certain limitations. It can be dissolved before by the President of the Government Council, whose mandate can be revoked by the Camera by a motion of censure or a vote of confidence. First elections to the Junta General took place in May 1983 and the first meeting of the Plenary Assembly on 31 May of that year.
FUNCTIONS OF THE PARLIAMENT
Brief description of Parliament's functions The Junta General represents the Asturian people, exercises the legislative power on matters falling under the competences of the Autonomous Community, approves the Asturias Budgets and controls the action of the Asturian Govern Council, whose President is elected between autonomic deputies.
The Junta General approves its budget, establishes its own rules of organization and operation and has its own staff administration. The governing bodies of the Chamber are the President, the Bureau, composed, in addition to the President, by two Vice-Presidents and two Secretaries, all of them elected by the Chamber between its members; and the Board of Speakers. The camera works in Plenary and Commissions.
The parliamentary year is divided into two periods of sessions: between September and December, the first; and between February and June, the second. Notwithstanding that, outside the periods of sessions, parliamentarians may meet in special session and a Permanent Deputations hall continue to exercise their functions until the constitution of the new elected Junta General.
COMPOSITION
Number of parliamentarians 45
Distribution by sex and average age: 24 men (53%) y 21 women (47%) Average age: 46,9 years
Electoral system: The electoral system is proportional representation (d'Hondt), with three districts: Central, Western and Eastern Central District: 34 deputies West District: 6 deputies Eastern District: 5 deputies The allocation of the 45 seats in the Junta General of the Principality of Asturias is done through the d'Hondt system according to the votes obtained by each candidate in their district and by list order within each candidature.
Mandate: Four years
Voting requirements (active suffrage): The deputies of the Junta General are elected by universal suffrage, free, equal, direct and secret, by those who have the political status of Asturians: over eighteen years of age with an administrative neighbourhood in one of the Asturian councils or, if the live abroad, have had the last administrative neighbourhood in Asturias and, if they have requested, their descendants registered as Spanish.
Eligibility requirements (passive suffrage): According to the PRINCIPADO DE ASTURIAS 14/1986 LAW, of 26 DECEMBER, ABOUT ELECTION REGIME TO THE JUNTA GENERAL https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-1987-3910
Eligible members of the General Board of the Principality of Asturias are those who, having the status of elector, are not subject to any of the causes of ineligibility listed in Article 6 of the Organic Law of the General Electoral System, and in addition: A) The Technical Secretaries and Regional Directors of the different Departments of the Principality Administration, as well as the holders of other positions of the same Administration assimilated to the previous ones. B) The members of the Government of the Nation. C) The members of the Governments of the other Autonomous Communities and the senior positions of the Administrations of the same. D) Parliamentarians of the Legislative Assemblies of other Autonomous Communities. E) Those who exercise functions or positions conferred and remunerated by foreign states. F) The Director General of the Radio and Television of Asturias and the Directors of their Societies. G) The Territorial Delegate of Radio Televisión Española in Asturias, as well as the directors of the Radio and Television Center in Asturias that depend on Public Entities. The qualification of ineligible shall proceed in respect of those who incur in any of the causes mentioned in the previous article, the same day of the submission of the candidature, or at any time after the elections.
The causes of ineligibility are also causes of incompatibility. In addition, they will also be incompatible: a) The members of the Congress of Deputies b) The European Parliamentarians c) The Chairmen and directors of savings of foundation public banks d) The Chairmen of boards of Trustees, general managers, managers, administrators or equivalent positions of public bodies, state monopolies and companies with majority public ownership, direct or indirect Positions referred to in paragraph d) of the preceding paragraph will not be, by exception, cause of incompatibility when they are: a) On behalf of the Principality of Asturias by designation of the Junta General(b) For Union representation c) By the condition of Member of the Council of Government of the Principality of Asturias d) By the condition of President of Local Corporation
COMPOSITION OF THE PARLIAMENT AS A RESULT OF THE LAST REGIONAL ELECTIONS
Political parties and number of seats:
Autonomic Elections 2015 Junta General del Principado Candidatures Votes % Deputes PSOE 143.851 26,48% 14 PP 117.319 21,59% 11 PODEMOS 103.571 19,06% 9 IU-IX 64.868 11,94% 5 FAC 44.480 8,19% 3 C's 38.687 7,12% 3
FSA-PSOE: 14 Partido Popular: 11 Podemos: 9 IU-IX: 5 FAC: 3 Ciudadanos: 3
PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS
Requirements for forming a Parliamentary Group:
Each political party or electoral coalition can only be part of a Parliamentary Group. The Parliamentary Groups are formed in the following way: • Three or more members who belong to a political party or electoral coalition. • Members of parties or electoral coalitions that do not reach the minimum number of 3 have to be assigned to the Mixed Group. • The members that are separate from a parliamentary group are assigned to the Mixed Parliamentary Group.
Parliamentary group data
Grupo ParlamentarioSocialista 14 seats Contact: [email protected] ÁlvarezCampillo, María Dolores Carcedo García, María Dolores DevesaCastaño, Nuria Fernández Fernández, Javier Gutiérrez Escandón, José Marcos Gutiérrez García, Jesús Lastra Valdés, Fernando Marcos Líndez, Marcelino Pérez García, Elsa Pérez Ordieres, Carmen Eva Sanjurjo González, Pedro Torre Canto, Marcelino Vega González, Margarita Isabel Vior Martínez, Verónica
Grupo Parlamentario Popular 11 seats Alonso Alonso, Rafael Contact: Cuervas-Mons García-Braga, José Agustín [email protected] Rueda Gallardo, Pedro Fernández González, María Mercedes Gómez Alonso, María Fe González Medina, David Pérez García de la Mata, María del Carmen Ramos Carvajal, Emma Rodríguez Feito, Matías Suárez Alonso, Carlos José VentaCueli, Luis Miguel Contact: Grupo ParlamentarioPodemosAsturies 9 seats gppodemos@jgpa Espiño Castellanos, Rosa María Fernández Vilanova, Andrés Gil Álvarez, Lorena María León Suárez, Emilio José López Hernández, Enrique MaríRipa, Daniel Montejo Arnaiz, Lucía PiernaviejaCachero, Héctor Valero Sáez, Paula
Grupo ParlamentarioIzquierdaUnida 5 seats Contact: [email protected] LlamazaresTrigo, Gaspar Masa Noceda, María Concepción Miranda Fernández, María Josefa Pulgar García, Marta Zapico González, Ovidio
Grupo ParlamentarioForo Asturias 3 seats Contact: Coto de la Mata, Cristina [email protected] Fernández Gómez, María del Carmen Leal Llaneza, Pedro Parliamentary group data Grupo ParlamentarioCiudadanos 3 seats Contact: Fernández Bartolomé, Luis Armando [email protected] García Fernández, Nicanor Sánchez Martín, Diana María
GOVERNING BODIES OF PARLIAMENT
PRESIDENT
Pedro Sanjurjo González
The President of the Junta General holds the highest representation of the House. He is elected by the Plenary among its members in the constituent session. The election requires an absolute majority in the first voting and a relative majority in the following.
The President ensures the correct conduct of the Camera’s work and organises, in accordance with the Board of Speakers, the agenda of the plenary sessions. He presides the Parliament's Bureau, the Board of Speakers, the Rules Committee, the Permanente Deputation and the Plenary sessions of the Camera. He directs the debates and maintains the order in them, interpreting the Standing Orders and supplementing any omission. He also orders payments and ensures the maintenance of order in all the Parliamentary dependencies.
Contact Details: [email protected] Telephone: 985 107 540 Calle Fruela 13, 33007 Oviedo. Asturias
OTHER BODIES (BUREAU / BOARD OF SPEAKERS)
Parliament's Bureau The Members of the Parliament's Bureau in this X Parliamentary Term are: President of the Camera: Pedro Sanjurjo González First Vice-president: María Josefa Miranda Fernández Second Vice-president: José AgustínCuervas-Mons García-Braga First Secretary: Pedro Leal Llaneza Second Secretary: Rosa María Espiño Castellanos
The Bureau is the body entrusted with the management of the House and vested with the collective representation thereof in all acts at which it is present. The Bureau consists of President of the Parliament, two Vice-Presidents and two Secretaries. All of them are elected by the Plenary. The election of the President requires an absolute majority in the first voting and a relative majority in the following. The Vice-Presidents are elected in a single voting. The person who gets more votes is elected first Vice-President and second Vice-President the following. In the same way are chosen the Secretaries.
The following functions, among others, are the responsibility of the Bureau: A) Adopt any decisions and measures that require the organization of work and the internal regime and government of the Parliament. B) To prepare a draft Budget of the House, supervise and oversee its implementation and submit to the full House, at the end of each year, a report as to its fulfilment. C) To order the expenses of the Parliament, without prejudice to any delegations that may be agreed upon. D) To qualify, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, the parliamentary papers and documents, as well as declare their admissibility or inadmissibility. The Bureau may open a period of twenty-four hours to correct defects in form or material errors of the documents presented. E) To decide the processing of all writings and documents of parliamentary nature, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and to determine the competent committee to know each one of the issues. F) To approve the composition of the staff of Parliament and the list of posts and the determination of the functions corresponding to each one of them. G) To schedule the Action Plan of the Camera, set the calendar of activities of the Plenary and the committees for each session and coordinate the work of its various bodies, all of this after hearing of the Board of Speakers. H) To assign the seats in the session hemicycle to the different Parliamentary Groups, after hearing the Board of Speakers. I) Any other task entrusted to this Regulation and those which are not attributed to a specific body.
Board of Speakers of the Junta General del Principado
President of the Camera: Pedro Sanjurjo González First Vice-president: María Josefa Miranda Fernández Second Vice-president: José AgustínCuervas-Mons García-Braga First Secretary: Pedro Leal Llaneza Second Secretary: Rosa María Espiño Castellanos Speakers: Cristina Coto de la Mata. Grupo Parlamentario Foro Asturias María Mercedes Fernández González. Grupo Parlamentario Popular Nicanor García Fernández. Grupo Parlamentario Ciudadanos Fernando Lastra Valdés. Grupo Parlamentario Socialista Escaño: 36 Ir a Grupo Parlamentario Socialista Emilio José León Suárez. Grupo Parlamentario Podemos Asturies Gaspar LlamazaresTrigo. Grupo Parlamentario Izquierda Unida
Substitute deputies: Marcelino Marcos Líndez, Luis Miguel Venta Cueli, Lucía Montejo Arnaiz, María Concepción Masa Noceda, Diana María Sánchez Martín, María del Carmen Fernández Gómez, Daniel Mari Ripa, Matías Rodríguez Feito, Lorena María Gil Álvarez
The Board of Speakers is constituted by the speakers of the Parliamentary Groups under the presidency of the President of the Camera. A representative of the Government can attend to the meetings.
It is responsibility of the Board of Speakers to set the agenda of the Plenary sessions. It must be heard to fix when the period of sessions of the Parliament start and finish; it must fix the general principles that contribute to order and enable discussions and tasks of the Parliament; it determines the number of members of each Parliamentary Group which takes part of the Committees and of the Permanent Deputation; it assigns them seats in the Hall of Sessions to the different Parliamentarians Groups. In addition, the Board of Speakers may approve unanimously, urgent institutional declarations.
Permanent Deputation Composition: President of the Camera: Pedro Sanjurjo González First Vice-president: María Josefa Miranda Fernández Second Vice-president: José Agustín Cuervas-Mons García-Braga First Secretary: Pedro Leal Llaneza Second Secretary: Rosa María Espiño Castellanos Members Nuria Devesa Castaño María Mercedes Fernández González Nicanor García Fernández Fernando Lastra Valdés Emilio José León Suárez Marcelino Marcos Líndez Lucía Montejo Arnaiz Luis Miguel Venta Cueli
The Permanent Deputation is led by the President of the Parliament and is composed by the Parliament’s Bureau and the deputies designated by the parliamentary groups.
The members of The Permanent Deputation retain their status as deputies, with all the rights and prerogatives inherent to their position; even after the expiration of their mandate or the dissolution of the Camera and until the new Parliament is constituted.
The Permanent Deputation: a) between the different periods of sessions can request extraordinary meetings of the Camera b) Upon expiration of the mandate of the Parliament, it may exercise, in cases of urgency or extraordinary necessity, the appropriate powers of the Parliament.
Once the new Parliament is constituted, the Permanent Deputation will report to Plenary on the matters dealt with and the decisions taken.
PARLIAMENT'S OPERATING BODIES
THE PLENARY
Composition:
President of the Camera: Pedro Sanjurjo González First Vice-president: María Josefa Miranda Fernández Second Vice-president: José AgustínCuervas-Mons García-Braga First Secretary: Pedro Leal Llaneza Second Secretary: Rosa María Espiño Castellanos Grupo Parlamentario Socialista ÁlvarezCampillo, María Dolores Carcedo García, María Dolores DevesaCastaño, Nuria Fernández Fernández, Javier Gutiérrez Escandón, José Marcos Gutiérrez García, Jesús Lastra Valdés, Fernando Marcos Líndez, Marcelino Pérez García, Elsa Pérez Ordieres, Carmen Eva Sanjurjo González, Pedro Torre Canto, Marcelino Vega González, Margarita Isabel Vior Martínez, Verónica
Grupo Parlamentario Popular Alonso Alonso, Rafael Cuervas-Mons García-Braga, José Agustín Rueda Gallardo, Pedro Fernández González, María Mercedes Gómez Alonso, María Fe González Medina, David Pérez García de la Mata, María del Carmen Ramos Carvajal, Emma Rodríguez Feito, Matías Suárez Alonso, Carlos José VentaCueli, Luis Miguel
Grupo Parlamentario Podemos Asturies Espiño Castellanos, Rosa María Fernández Vilanova, Andrés Gil Álvarez, Lorena María León Suárez, Emilio José López Hernández, Enrique MaríRipa, Daniel Montejo Arnaiz, Lucía PiernaviejaCachero, Héctor Valero Sáez, Paula
Grupo Parlamentario Izquierda Unida LlamazaresTrigo, Gaspar Masa Noceda, María Concepción Miranda Fernández, María Josefa Pulgar García, Marta Zapico González, Ovidio
Grupo Parlamentario Foro Asturias Coto de la Mata, Cristina Fernández Gómez, María del Carmen Leal Llaneza, Pedro
Grupo Parlamentario Ciudadanos Fernández Bartolomé, Luis Armando García Fernández, Nicanor Sánchez Martín, Diana María
Functions: The Plenary is the supreme body of Parliament. It is composed of the 45 Deputies. The President of the House directs the sessions that take place in the Hemicycle. The Deputies shall take their seats in accordance with their membership of parliamentary groups and shall always occupy the same seats.
There is a special bench for members of the Autonomic Government. The Senators elected by the House also have a reserved seat. At the invitation of the President of the House, with the favourable opinion of the Bureau and the Board of Speakers, on the solemn occasion of special significance relevant personalities may exceptionally speak at the Plenary. The Plenary approves the laws, debate questions, Parliamentary inquiries, proposals, motions, proposals of resolution and, in general, the most relevant initiatives presented by the deputies.
The Plenary sessions are public, with the following exceptions: A) When dealing with questions concerning the propriety of the House or its members, or the suspension of a Deputy. B) When discussing proposals and opinions of the Regulations Committee that affect the Statute of Deputies, if so agreed in each case by the Bureau of the House. C) When it is agreed by the Plenary by an absolute majority, at the initiative of the Bureau of the House, the Autonomic Government, two Parliamentary Groups, or one-fifth of the members of Parliament. Once the request for a secret session has been submitted, it shall be put to a vote without debate and the meeting shall continue with the character agreed upon.
COMMISSIONS
Composition: The Deputies designated by the Parliamentary Groups in the number that, with criteria of proportionality, determines the Bureau, heard the Board of Speakers, take part of the Commissions.
A Bureau composed of a President, a Vice-President and a Secretary elected by the Commission heads each Committee.
The Commissions may obtain written information from the Administration and maintain public meetings both with members of the Asturian Government and employees of the Principality of Asturias’s Administration and senior officials of the autonomic public sector, representatives of the Principality in any institutions, companies or entities and of experts in related matters. The appearances are held in the Commissions in the course of the processing of project of law and law proposals. Commissions are classified as permanent and non-permanent. There are two kinds of Permanent Commissions: legislative, which correspond to the Ministries, and not legislative. Non-permanent Commissions are classified in Commissions of Investigation and Commissions of study.
Sessions of the Commissions are public. When agreed by an absolute majority of its members, at the initiative of its respective Bureau, the Governing Council, two Parliamentary Groups or one-fifth of its members, the meetings of the Commissions shall be secret. In any case, the sessions and work of the Committee of Rules of Procedure shall be secret when the matters scheduled affect the status of the Deputies. The Commissions of Investigation will also be secret, if it is so agreed by the Plenary when constituting them. Its members may only attend the secret sessions of the Commissions.
Permanent Commissions Radiotelevision of the Principality of Asturias Control Commission, SAU Committee on Rural Development and Natural Resources Commission for Education and Culture Committee on Employment, Industry and Tourism Committee on Finance and Public Sector Committee on Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Environment Committee on Petitions and Fundamental Rights Commission of Presidency and Citizen Participation Commission of Regulation Commission of Health Commission for Services and Social Rights
Non-permanent commissions Special Study Group on the Situation of Poverty and Social Inequality Special Commission for the Forestry Sector Study Special Study Commission on the Regime of Protection and Promotion of the Asturian and its different alternatives Commission of Investigation on the fires happened in Asturias in the month of December of 2015 Commission of Inquiry on the management and activity developed by the public company Management of Public Infrastructures of Telecommunications of the Principality of Asturias (GIPTA) Commission of Inquiry on waiting lists in Asturian health
GENERAL SECRETARY
The Junta General has its own personal services to carry out its functions. These are the House Services, which are organized under the name of the General Secretariat. The General Secretariat is the Administration of the Chamber, whose organs provide the assistance, support and advice necessary for the development of its regulatory functions.
Head Clerk (Letrado Mayor) is in charge of the General Secretariat Appointed from among the Lawyers (Clerks) of the Junta General by the Board of the Chamber after the proposal of the President, the Head Clerk is placed at the head of the General Secretariat of Parliament and in this condition he assumes, under the direction of the President, the superior head of all the personnel at the service of the parliamentary Administration and of all the Services in which it is organized.
He coordinates and directs the Lawyers of the Assembly and provides legal advice to the bodies of the Chamber. He assists the Bureau, the Board of Speakers, the Regulations and Plenary Committee, draws up their minutes and agreements, and ensures their execution, as well as regulatory practices and practices. It also keeps the Record of Interests.
Head Clerk: Alberto Arce Janáriz Contact: 985 10 75 61 / [email protected]
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF PARLIAMENT
BODIES / DEPARTMENTS / SERVICES
The Junta General has its own personal to carry out its functions. These are the House Services, which are organized under the name of General Secretariat. The General Secretariat is the Head for the administration of the Chamber, whose organs provide the assistance, support and advice necessary for the development of its regulatory functions. The General Secretariat includes: Head Clerk (Letrado Mayor) l, who is the General Secretary The Lawyers (the clerks) The Auditor The Parliamentary Affairs Service The General Affairs Service The Technical Services Service The Publications Service The Library, Documentation and Archive Service
CONTACT DETAILS FOR CALRE
President: Pedro Sanjurjo González Secretariat: Isabel Braga [email protected] Telephone: 985 107 540
Chief of Cabinet: Jorge Fernández León [email protected] Telephone: 985 107 536
Secretariat of Cabinet: Octavio Vázquez [email protected] Telephone: 985 107 538
Head of Communication: Pepa Telenti Alvargonzález [email protected] Telephone: 985 107 529
Junta General del Principado de Asturias Fruela, nº 13 - 33007 Oviedo. Asturias Telephone: (34) 985 10 75 00 Fax: (34) 985 10 75 34 http://www.jgpa.es
OTHER INFORMATION OF INTEREST
More Info: http://www.jgpa.es/documents/11156/12058/Folleto+Junta+General/f590f656- b41f-410a-92c2-946ddc252e55