| Chamber of Deputies of the Federal Assembly of the Czechoslovak Federal Republic | |
|---|---|
| 21st Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | Lower house of the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia |
| History | |
| Founded | June 10, 1948 |
| Preceded by | Constituent National Assembly |
New session started |
8 November 2021 |
| Leadership | |
President of the Chamber of Deputies |
|
1st Vice President |
|
Vice President |
|
Vice President |
|
Vice President |
|
| Structure | |
| Seats | 200 |
 | |
Political groups |
Supporting government ()
Opposition () |
Length of term |
4 years[a] |
| Elections | |
| Party-list proportional representation using the D'Hondt method in __ constituencies (4% federal election threshold)[b] | |
Last election |
9 October 2021 |
Next election |
Before October 2025 |
| Meeting place | |
| Federal Assembly Švehlovo náměstí 118 00 Praha 7-Letná Letná Hill, Prague | |
| Footnotes | |
| |
The Chamber of Deputies (Czech: Poslanecká sněmovna federálního shromáždění ČSFR, Slovak: Poslanecká snemovňa federálneho zhromaždenia ČSFR), literally "Chamber of Deputies of the Federal Assembly of the Czechoslovak Federal Republic", is the lower house of the Federal Assembly, with the Senate being the upper house. Together the two houses constitute the federal bicameral legislature of Czechoslovakia.
The composition and powers of the Chamber of Deputies are established by Chapter Two of the Czechoslovak Constitution. The chamber has 200 seats and deputies are elected for four-year terms using the party-list proportional representation system with the D'Hondt method; thus, 101 seats are required for a majority. The Chamber of Deputies' term is four years; however, the President of Czechoslovakia may dissolve the chamber under conditions specified by the constitution, thereby calling for early elections within 60 days.
The constitution endows the Chamber of Deputies with far more legislative authority than the Senate, especially regarding parliamentary scrutiny. The primary role of the Chamber of Deputies is to control the government and pass laws. The prime minister and the government is solely responsible to the Chamber of Deputies. Voting on confidence or non-confidence in the government is thus one of the most important powers. The Chamber is the only body that debates and decides the state budget. It also has greater legislative powers than the Senate. In the case of proposals for regular laws, if the Senate has rejected a legislative proposal or proposed amendments then Chamber may vote to override the Senate by a simple majority of votes. However, in the case of proposed constitutional laws or proposals for the expression of consent with the ratification of international agreements or in certain cases pertaining to defence and security, the Chamber and the Senate have equal powers.
The Chamber of Deputies is located in the east wing of the Parliament Building on Letná Hill in Prague. The presiding officer is the President of the Chamber of Deputies, who is elected by the members thereof.
Presidents of the Senate[]
| # | Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Political party | State | Legislature term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oldřich John (1907–1961) |
|
10 June 1948 |
14 September 1951 |
ČSSD |  Moravia
|
1 | |
| 2 | Ján Ursíny (1896–1972) |
|
14 September 1951 |
1960 | RS |  Slovakia
| ||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 3 | Bohumil Laušman (1903–1975) |
|
1960 |
1964 |
ČSSD |  Bohemia
|
4 | |
| 4 | Antonín Pospíšil (1903–1973) |
|
1964 |
15 June 1973 (Died in office) |
ČSL | Moravia
|
5 | |
| 6 | ||||||||
| 7 | ||||||||
| 5 | Soňa Pennigerová (1928–) |
|
1972 |
1976 |
ČSSD | Bohemia
| ||
See also[]
- Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia
- State assemblies
- Land Assembly of Bohemia
- Land Assembly of Moravia
- Land Assembly of Silesia
- Land Assembly of Slovakia