Members of the National Assembly sit in such order as the Speaker directs. Before a Speaker is elected at the first sitting following a general election, the Secretary determines the seating arrangement. The seating plan is not fixed, rather it is determined by the Speaker’s direction.
Why it matters for the National Assembly proceedings?
Seating in a legislative chamber carries symbolic and practical weight. The convention of government on one side and opposition on the other, is a visible representation of the adversarial-but-ordered nature of parliamentary democracy. That the Speaker — not any party or the government — controls seating reflects the principle of the Speaker’s impartiality.
What is in it for citizens?
For citizens watching Assembly proceedings, the chamber layout conveys importance information, such as who is in government, who is in opposition, where independent or coalition members sit.
Source: Rule 8, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007
The proceedings of National Assembly are governed by the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. The current rules were passed on 23 February 2007 and have since been amended 20 times.
This post is part of FAFEN’s series on parliamentary literacy. Read more of this series here.
