Definition of Motion of Censorship

In some parliamentary systems the president of the government of a nation he is elected by the members of parliament. In this type of parliamentary system, the possibility is contemplated that some political party of the opposition present an alternative candidate for the presidency of the nation. When it happens there is a motion of censure.

Analyzing the scenario in Spain

For this procedure to be carried out, it is necessary to take into account its legal regulation within the framework of the Constitution Spanish, as well as a series of requirements that must be met to present it and for it to succeed.

Thus, a motion of censure needs initial support from the chamber of deputies. This support must come from at least 35 parliamentarians (10% of the 350 parliamentarians).

On the other hand, whoever uses this method must propose to the House of Representatives an alternative candidate for the Prime Minister.

The day i know debate the motion of censure, a spokesperson for the group that proposes it has to defend the new proposal before the whole of the chamber.

Five days later, the vote between the members of parliament begins and for the motion to be approved it is necessary that has the support of the absolute majority of parliamentarians (in the case of Spain, this majority is obtained with 176 deputies or parliamentarians).

If this majority is achieved, the proposed new candidate automatically becomes the president of the nation's government. In the event that the motion of censure does not succeed as the required majority is not obtained, those who proposed it may not present another motion during the legislature.

An exceptional procedure that can be considered as a strategy to weaken a government

The fact of presenting a motion of censure does not necessarily imply that the political group that proposes it has sufficient support for there to be a change in the prime minister. In fact, this procedures has been used on occasions without sufficient parliamentary support and with the sole intention of showing society the weakness of a government (in 1980 the opposition socialist presented a motion of censure against the UCD government knowing that it would not prosper, but with it the path to consolidate the figure of Felipe González as the new political leader began)

In the history of the recent democracy There have been two motions of censure in Spain and both were unsuccessful.

Photos: Fotolia - NL / Bigmen