Commonwealth Assembly (Steel and Bridle)
The Assembly of the Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations (Spanish: Asamblea de la Mancomunidad Iberoamericana de Naciones), also known as the Commonwealth Assembly (Asamblea Mancomunal) or Iberoparliament (Iberoparlamento), is the parliamentary body of the ICN that directly represents the citizens of the commonwealth and exercises legislative power in a unicameral system. Described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world, the Assembly is composed of 1,000 members (Member of the Commonwealth Assembly; MCA) who represent the second largest democratic electorate in the world, behind the Hindustani Lok Sabha, and the largest transnational electorate, with over 800 million voters in 2020. It is also the only institution directly elected by the citizens of the ICN.
The Commonwealth Assembly is considered the first institution of the ICN, as it is mentioned first in the Treaties and its co-Chairmen have protocolary preference over all other authorities at the Iberoamerican level. This position is shared between a member monarch and the President of Panamá, currently King Felipe VI of Spain, and Panamanian president José Gabriel Carrizo. It has legislative and budgetary power, it has the prerogative to approve or reject bills, it elects the President pro tempore of the ICN, it approves or rejects the appointment of the College of Commissioners, and can even dismiss it as a body by tabling a motion of censure.
A parliamentary body had been in the works ever since the founding of the ICN's predecessor, the Office of Iberoamerican Education. The OIE was renamed as the Hispanoamerican Union in 1967, and the Assembly was established in the same year. Since its founding, its powers and size have been extended several times, notably by the Treaty of Pontevedra in 1973 and by the Treaty of Luçáca in 2013. Elections to the Commonwealth Assembly by universal, direct, and secret suffrage have been held every five years since 1974. Historically, the three main groups in the Parliament (together holding at least 60% of the Chamber) have been the Iberoamérica Avanza group, the Cristianos Demócratas group, and the Monarquía Social Group.
The Assembly, composed of MCAs of member states, wields significant power to address a wide range of issues. Its powers include making binding decisions in areas such as security, peace, sustainable development, human rights and trade. In addition, it plays a crucial role in conflict resolution, setting international norms and agreements, promoting multilateral diplomacy, and coordinating development aid. The assembly is also responsible for the protection of human rights, the management of crises, the promotion of peace and security through peace operations, the promotion of scientific and technological cooperation, and the accountability of member states. In short, this assembly exercises fundamental authority to foster international cooperation and address global challenges.
The Chairmen are responsible for the management of parliamentary bodies and activities, presiding over deliberations and representing the Assembly, both at the Community level and in external relations with non-ICN states or international organizations. They have a fundamental role in the organization of parliamentary debates, giving the floor, ensuring compliance with the Rules of Procedure, and submitting matters to vote, as well as proclaiming the corresponding results. At a formal level, their signature is of particular importance, as it grants executive character to the budgets approved at a second reading. Likewise, their signature, together with that of the President pro tempore will be indispensable for the formal approval of a legislative act adopted through the ordinary legislative procedure. The Chairmen sit on the Bureau together with fourteen vice-presidents and four quaestors in a collegial body whose decisions are taken by a majority of its members. The Bureau is responsible for the internal governance of the Assembly, performing a multitude of functions, including the preparation of budget estimates; the administrative and financial organization of the House; and the organization of the General Secretariat, as well as the appointment of the President pro tempore.
The Commonwealth Assembly has its official meeting space in the Quinta de San Miguel in Panama City, Panama, where seven four-day plenary sessions are held each month and is the official seat of the Commonwealth Assembly. The General Secretariat of the Commonwealth Assembly, the administrative body, is also based in Panamá City. The Committees of the Assembly meet regularly in San José, Costa Rica, or in Medellín, New Granada, although they may also meet elsewhere.