The Speaker of the National Assembly has a casting vote, but only in the event of an exact tie in any division. In all other cases, the Speaker does not vote.
Why it matters for the National Assembly proceedings?
The Speaker’s abstention from ordinary voting is a cornerstone of their impartiality. If the Speaker voted with the government in every division, they would be functioning as a party member rather than an impartial presiding officer. The casting vote — used only in ties — is an unavoidable exercise of will, but its rarity preserves the character of the position.
What is in it for citizens?
For citizens evaluating the impartiality of a Speaker, whether they have ever voted in a non-tie division — which would be a rule violation — is one verifiable test. A Speaker who never votes in ordinary divisions and uses their casting vote only when the result is a literal tie is behaving consistently with their constitutional role.
Source: Rule 279, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007
The proceedings of the 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 21 times, most recently on 22 October 2024.
This post is part of FAFEN’s series on parliamentary literacy. Read more of this series here.
