What is the process that will follow to advance the congressional elections now that the debate has resumed?

WITHlack of a constitution held its first regular session since the commencement of this new legislature and, as expected, the priority issue was early election. Spoiler alert: no deal reached. According to the president of the working group, Congressman Hernando Guerra Garcia, “it is clear to the public that there is still no agreement.”

The truth is that the Fuerza Popular MP decided not to put the decision to a vote for the time being and signaled that additional efforts would be made to reach a consensus and that “the issue is open and there is a deadline to continue consideration of it.”

What are these deadlines? What path will the parliamentary elections take?

Working hours in the Constitutional Commission

After the resumption of debate in Constitutional Commissionproject Mr. early election it will be debated again within a time frame that, under Congressional rules, could be 60 business days, according to constitutional lawyer José Naupari.

However, since this is already an advanced topic (several drafts have been submitted, voted and discussed, and there is already an opinion), the timeline may vary and be shorter. “The concept of urgency has certainly been taken into account,” says Naupari. “It should be remembered that the chairman of the Constitutional Commission indicated that he had already prepared a draft conclusion, that the commission announced itself at a permanent meeting in case of applying to this draft to reduce the mandate.”

How does the project get to the plenary session?

Former congressional official Jose Elis agrees that Clack of a constitution Congress should reach its conclusion as soon as possible and then discuss the draft in plenary session. “Whoever introduces an opinion on the agenda of the plenary session of the congress is the Board of Directors. Opinion is sent [desde la Comisión] with a note to the president of Congress, but through the mayor’s office, which handles all administration, so that the opinion is available to the Board of Directors, which agrees to put it on the agenda. [del Pleno]”, – says the former Minister of the Interior.

Alice contends that there is an exceptional mechanism by which the election promotion project can reach the plenary. “ANDexclusively [el proyecto puede programarse en el Pleno] with a special qualified vote of the Council of Press Secretaries, which can put an opinion on the agenda in connection with the severity of the socio-political crisis,” he says.

What happens at the plenary session?

This has already happened several times. ANDThe project reaches the plenary session, the rules for discussion are established, after which it is put to a vote. As a reminder, 87 votes are needed to approve this constitutional change in this and the next legislature, and the deadlines are given by constitutional lawyer Heber Campos. “In the forecast, which is a draft document to be issued by the Constitutional Commission, this working group proposes to hold elections in December this year, and the new authorities will begin their functions only in May 2024, and also proposes to extend the new term of office of the new government until July 2028, not until July 2029, as it should be under the constitutional rule that the term of office is five years,” he comments, noting that this and other changes are expected to be questioned in meetings that are already being held in the said commission.