Senators are elected to six-year terms by direct election on a provincial basis, with the party with the most votes being awarded two of the province's senate seats and the second-place party receiving the third seat. Historically, senators were indirectly elected to nine-year terms by each provincial legislature. These provisions were abolished in the 1994 constitutional amendment, and the first direct elections to the Senate took effect in 2001. Currently one-third of the members are elected every two years; there are no term limits.
The Senate must obtain quorum to deliberate, this being an absolute majority. It has the power to approve bills passed by the Chamber of Deputies, call for joint sessions with the lower house or special sessions with experts and interested parties, and submit bills for the president's signature; bills introduced in the Senate must, in turn, be approved by the Chamber of Deputies for their submission to the president. The Senate must introduce any changes to federal revenue sharing policies, ratify international treaties, approve changes to constitutional or federal criminal laws, as well as confirm or impeach presidential nominees to the cabinet, the judiciary, the armed forces, and the diplomatic corps, among other federal posts.[2]
There are twenty-four standing committees made up of
fifteen members each, namely:[2]
Agreements (confirmation of federal nominees)
Constitutional Affairs
Foreign Affairs and Worship
Justice and Criminal Affairs
General Legislation
Budget and Finance
Administrative and Municipal Affairs
National Defense
Domestic Security and Drug Trafficking
National Economy and Investment
Industry and Trade
Regional Economies, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Labor and Social Security
Agriculture, Cattle Raising and Fishing
Education, Culture, Science and Technology
Rights and Guarantees
Mining, Energy and Fuels
Health and Sports
Infrastructure, Housing and Transport
Systems, Media and Freedom of Speech
Environment and Human Development
Population and Human Development
Federal Revenue Sharing
Tourism.
Requirements
According to Section 55 of the Argentine Constitution, candidates for the Argentine Senate must:
be at least 30 years old
have been a citizen of Argentina for six years
be native to the province of her or his office, or have been a resident of that province for two years.
Source: senado.gob.ar(last update: 20 November 2023)
Senate leadership
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