Belize

House of Representatives Senate

Senate

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
No
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Parliamentary mandate

Start and end of mandate

Not applicable. Members of this parliament/chamber are not elected.
Yes
Start of the parliamentary mandate for appointed members
At the time of appointment
End of the parliamentary mandate
On the last day of the chamber’s term (including in the case of early dissolution)

Speaker

Mode of designation of the Speaker
Other

Notes: The Speaker is elected by members of the Senate. The Speaker may be a member of the Senate however he/she may also be designated from outside the chamber and becomes a member by virtue of holding the office of Speaker. (Constitution Article 66). A Speaker elected from among persons who are not members of the House of Representatives or a President elected from among persons who are not Senators shall have no vote.

Authority that designates the Speaker when the Speaker is designated from outside parliament.
Parliament
Rank of the Speaker in the hierarchy of the State
Sixth
Speaker becomes interim Head of State in the event of the latter’s death or incapacity
No information available
Speaker's mandate continues between legislatures
Yes

Speaker terms

The term of the Speaker is different from the term of the house
Yes
Speaker's term
5 Years
Fixed election date for the Speaker, if any
No information available

Immunity and code of conduct

Parliament’s authorization is required for the detention or prosecution of members
No information available
There is a Code of conduct for members
No information available

Salaries and allowances

Members are paid salaries by parliament
Yes
(2022)
Basic salary, per year
16,380 BZD
(2022)
Basic salary, per year in PPP
13,426
(2022)
Basic allowances
2,658 BZD
Basic allowance in PPP
2,110
Names of the basic allowances

Communications; Transport; Home Allowance

Members pay income tax on salaries
No
Members pay income tax on allowances
No
Members can have remunerated employment outside parliament
Yes
Members are required to declare income from other employment to parliament
Yes
Salary of the Speaker
21,600 BZD
Salary of the Speaker in PPP
17,143
The parliamentary salary is determined in reference to another salary scale
No
Reference scale used for parliamentary salaries
Click for historical data

Notes: Women voted in 2001 for the referendum on the New Constitution, which came into being in 2002 and confirmed women's suffrage. Prior to independence, women were given the right to vote for municipal councils in 1951. According to the Constitution (6 December 1973), all citizens are equal before the law; however the Electoral Law that was adopted as a follow up, did not recognize women's suffrage. Women were consequently not able to exercise electoral rights in the only legislative elections held in Bahrain in December 1973.

No information available
Year data was last reported
No information available
Facilities, services and allowances for constituency work
Personal staff to work directly for the parliamentarian
No
Office at parliament
No
Constituency office
No
Housing
No
Other cash or in-kind allowances for constituency work
Yes

Notes: Hotel Accomodation; Airfare/Fuel; Per Diem/Subsistence

Additional salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Additional salaries and allowances provided for leadership positions
Yes

Notes: Leader of the Opposition, Deputy President, Leader of the Government Business.

List of salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Salary Allowances
Speaker Yes
Yes
Committee Chair Yes
No

Participation in the government

Members of the government must also be members of parliament
Cannot be a member of parliament
Members for whom data is available
No information available

Historical data for IPU membership

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Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No