Venice Commission - Report on Bicameralism

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Montenegro

1.Has the country ever had a bicameral parliamentary (or congressional) system in the past? If so, in which period? Why was it decided to change into a unicameral system? Is there a public debate about changing to a bicameral system? What are the terms of the debate?

The Parliament of Montenegro was initially established by the Constitution of the Principality of Montenegro in 1905 and was called the Popular Assembly (Narodna skupština). It had a limited legislative role, limited by the authority of the Knjaz (Prince). The first parliament was constituted in 1906 Following the incorporation of the Kingdom of Montenegro into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1918, the Parliament of Montenegro was disbanded until World War II. The Parliament was reinstated in 1944, in the form of the Montenegrin Anti-Fascist Assembly of National Liberation (CASNO), which changed its name to the Montenegrin National Assembly, and later the National Assembly. This lasted until 1946, when a new Assembly was elected for the Socialist Republic of Montenegro, a constituent republic within the SFR Yugoslavia. The current parliament is the 23rd since the foundation of the Parliament.

2.What is the population of the country? What is its size?

13,812 km2 ; 602,445 inhab.

3.What form of state and form of government has the country? Please provide details with reference to relevant constitutional provisions. a) Unitarian or federal/regional/other form of decentralization; b) Parliamentary, presidential, semi-presidential or mixed

The Constitution of Montenegro describes the state as a "civic, democratic, ecological state of social justice, based on the reign of Law". Montenegro is an independent and sovereign republic that established its constitution on 22 October 2007. The President of Montenegro is the head of state, elected for a period of five years through direct elections. The President represents the country abroad, promulgates laws by ordinance, calls elections for the Parliament, and proposes candidates for Prime Minister, president and justices of the Constitutional Court to the Parliament

4.How many members are in the lower house?

The Parliament currently has 81 members, with each member elected to a four-year term.