House of Councillors

House of Councillors Câmara dos Conselheiros
1st Konkrëse
Type
Type	Lower House
Term limits	6 months
History
Founded	March 8, 2021 (2021-03-08)
Leadership
Councillor Speaker	The Duke of Sion, Moderate Party
Deputy Speaker	Wellington Muniz, Moderate Party
Structure
Seats	14
Political groups	Government (11):      Worker's Party (5)      Moderate Party (6) Opposition (3):      Conservative Party (3)
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	8 March 2021
Next election	7 September 2021
Meeting place
Gillisburgh de jure Discord de facto

The House of Councillors (Portuguese: Câmara dos Conselheiros) is the lower house of the Konkrëse, the parliament of Ebenthal. Membership is by free elections through universal suffrage and its members, called Councillors, serves a 6-month term, with unlimited possible of re-election.

The House of Councillors has 14 seats (two per federative unit) which can be filled both by nobles and commoners, although they must be necessarily members of the country's political parties to run for office (nonetheless, they are not required to stay in that party following the election, being free to change party or to simply leave and stay with no party). The Prime Minister of Ebenthal is chosen by the House of Councillors's major party or coalition among its colleagues in both houses of parliament. Unlike what happens in most bicameral legislatures, although the House of Councillors is the responsible for chosing the country's head of government, the core of the politics is done by the upper house, despite the fact that both houses constitutionally hold equal powers, minus the exclusive powers each one has.

The House of Councillors's power to enact laws depends on the House of Aristocrats evaluation of the bills approved in the lower house, except in limited circunstances. Despite this, the house has autonomy to create bills and analyze projects proposed even by the monarch and to report to him, both by parliamentary audience and through the Prime Minister, whose position and cabinet depends on the confidence of the lower house.

Origin

The House of Councillors was inspired by the British House of Commons, alhtough much more simplified and in parts similar to Brazil's formely monarchical Chamber of Deputies. Its name, however, was a challenge to be decided, as the lower house's officeholders's name title. The ideia of Councillor came following a deep study of other countries's parliaments and the similarity it evokes to the Portuguese councilmen and councillors, respectively members of a city/town's chamber and to the monarch's privy council. The name, furthermore, coincides with that of the former Japane House of Councillors, which served as a confirmation for the name's decision.

The creation of the house was proposed by Gabriela, Countess of Wittiza, through the Ebenthal's Bicameral Act and the name was ventured by Raphael, Duke of Sion. The project of the lower house was approved exactly as proposed by the leader of the Worker's Party.

Functions

According the Constitution of Ebenthal's 6th ammendment, the Councillors exerce the exclusive functions of chose the Prime Minister, to call for a referendum and to cast a vote of no confidence to the ministerial cabinet, plus the common functions of deal with taxation and loans, trade and commerce (only regarding the federal government), to deal with conciliation and arbitration when required, to legislate on matter regarding the country's institutions, infrastructure and rules, to legislate on currency, coinage, and legal tender, on immigration and citizenship, among other things.

Procedure

A legislative bill can be formally introduced by any member of both legislative houses, as well as by the Sovereign and the Federal Princes rulers of the Ebenthal's individual federated principalities, although it is more commonly introduced by the parliamentary houses only. The Councillor Speaker read the proposed bill and puts it up to voting. If the proposed bill is approved, it is immediatly sent to the House of Aristocrats for their scrutiny; if they approve, it is sent to the King's cabinet for royal assent or veto. If the Aristocrats reject the Councillors bill, the bill is returned to the lower house and submitted to amends in order to be sent to the Aristocrats again (nonetheless the Aristocrats can amend a bill if they feel fit and submit it to the King's assent without the consent of the Councillors). If a bill fails, it may be debated and voted again in a next session; if it fails again, then the bill is shelved and can only be revived after a month.

Composition and seats

Members

Elected MP	Party		State	Took office	Seat #	Notes
Elected
The Duke of Sion		Moderate	Belmonte	8 March 2021	1	Councillor Speaker
The Count of Autem		Moderate	Alvorada	8 March 2021	2
The Count of Novesfora		Conservative	Negromonte	8 March 2021	3
The Duke of Guanabara		Conservative	Gillisburgh	8 March 2021	4
Pedro Carvalho		Worker's	Belmonte	8 March 2021	5
Francisco Arrais		Conservative	New Switzerland	8 March 2021	6
Letícia Carvalho		Moderate	Aldiva	8 March 2021	7
Hugo do Amaral		Moderate	Carlenburg	8 March 2021	8
The Duke of Launceston		Moderate	Gillisburgh	8 March 2021	9
Wellington Muniz		Moderate	Alvorada	8 March 2021	10
Yuri Barcelos		Worker's	Aldiva	8 March 2021	11
Eric de Pádua		Worker's	Negromonte	8 March 2021	12	former Count of Three Marys
The Marquis of Liuva		Worker's	Carlenburg	8 March 2021	13
Eduardo Goethe		Worker's	New Switzerland	8 March 2021	14

See also

• Konkrëse
• House of Aristocrats