An interpellation is an act by which a member of the legislative power question or interrogate a member of the executive power to clarify any question about any area of its field of competence.
The word interpellation is used mainly in politics. More particularly,
when a member of the Parliament interrogates or questions a government member
to clarify a certain issue. But an interpellation can happen in a judgment or
business life.
Interpellation is, in general, the formal way in which the act
of questioning is expressed from one person to another when there is a certain
obligation to do so. In other words, in an everyday context, the question from
one individual to another is not expressed through interpellation. It is a term
used in formal situations in which the person questioned must answer. Or, at
least, there is the other party's right to ask.
Interpellation and democracy
This figure that of demanding accounts from a ruler is essential
in any democracy with a minimum quality. It assumes that the representatives of
the people in Parliament can control the actions of those who govern them.
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It also provides transparency. If the interpellation did not
exist, and the rulers knew that they were not going to confront the discussions
parliamentarians, they would have a greater range of action, facilitating the
existence of corruption and other harmful practices for the democracy.
However, interpellation cannot be practiced freely. The law or
the regulation that regulates it establishes the steps to follow and in which
cases it fits and defines who has the right to ask the Government.
The interpellation in Spain
The existence of this figure is included in article
111 of the Constitution: "The Government and each of its members are
subject to interpellations and questions formulated in the Chambers; for this
kind of debate, the Regulations will establish a weekly minimum time".
The regulation of the parliamentary interpellation is more
deeply regulated in the First Chapter of the Ninth Title, entitled "About
the interpellations".
Article 181 establishes that these must be presented in writing
before the Congress Table, which determines whether or not it proceeds.
Article 182, for its part, establishes that interpellates will
be included in the agenda of the Plenary, after fifteen days from their
publication, as well as their priority, according to their issuer. On the other
hand, 183 includes its execution: 10 minutes for the question and answer and
five for the replies. After that, another parliamentary group can intervene for
five minutes.
Finally, article 184 includes the possibility for the entire
Chamber to express its position after a motion but following a process that
includes the same article.
The interpellation in Mexico
In Mexico, the interpellation is regulated in Chapter III of
Title III of the Constitution. Article 93 says the following: "The
Secretaries of the Office, after the period of ordinary sessions is open, will
report to Congress on the status of their respective branches."
Then, the following paragraph provides: "Any of the
Chambers may summon the Secretaries of State, the directors, and administrators
of parastatal entities, and the heads of autonomous bodies to (…) respond to
interpellations or questions".
The Regulations of the Chamber of Deputies develop the details
of these interpolations and questions.
In Colombia
In Colombia, the existence of this figure is in article 135 of
the Constitution, belonging to Chapter I of Title VI. Its fourth paragraph
establishes that each Chamber's power to determine the holding of sessions
reserved as a priority for the oral questions formulated by the congress
members to the ministers and the answers to these.
Section IV of Chapter V of Title II of the Regulations of the Congress collects the figure of the debates. Article 98 alludes to interpellations: "In speaking, speakers may only be interpellated when asking questions or requesting clarification of some aspect that is demanded."
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