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| South Sudanese parliament | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Legislature of South Sudan |
| House type | Bicameral |
| Established | 2011 |
| Predecessor | Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly |
| Leader1 type | President of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly |
| Leader1 | James Wani Igga |
| Leader2 type | Speaker of the Council of States |
| Leader2 | Joseph Lagu |
| Members | 400 (Transitional National Legislative Assembly), 50 (Council of States) |
| Meeting place | Juba |
South Sudanese parliament is the national legislature of the Republic of South Sudan, formed at independence in 2011 and succeeding the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly. It is a bicameral body comprising the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States that legislates for the nation headquartered in Juba. The legislature has played a central role in post-independence political arrangements involving actors such as the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, the SPLM-IO, and coalitions formed under agreements including the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.
The legislature traces roots to the Juba Declaration (2006), the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, and the transitional institutions established after the Second Sudanese Civil War. After the 2011 independence referendum that followed decades of conflict involving the Sudan Armed Forces, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly was constituted to enact frameworks for the new state alongside the President of South Sudan, regional governors such as those of Upper Nile State, and international partners including United Nations Mission in South Sudan representatives. Post-independence crises, notably the 2013 political dispute between leaders similar to Riek Machar and Salva Kiir, led to power-sharing provisions in accords like the Revitalised Agreement, which reconfigured membership, mandates, and the role of the Council of States. The legislature has been a venue for implementing provisions arising from mediation by figures and institutions such as IGAD, the African Union, and envoys connected to the Troika.
The national legislature is bicameral: the lower chamber, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, and the upper chamber, the Council of States. The Assembly’s membership has included representatives appointed from entities including the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, opposition caucuses, civil society organizations such as South Sudan Law Society, and former wartime formations referenced in accords like the Khartoum Peace Agreement. The Council of States aggregates representation from the country’s states—examples include Central Equatoria, Jonglei State, Warrap State—and traditional authority figures linked to constituencies such as the Dinka and Nuer. Leadership roles have been held by political figures including James Wani Igga and elder statesmen associated with the independence movement like Joseph Lagu.
Legislative authority includes enacting laws that implement provisions of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (2011), approving budgets tied to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (South Sudan), and confirming appointments of officials such as ministers, judges associated with the Supreme Court of South Sudan, and other public officers. The legislature’s functions intersect with executive actors including the President of South Sudan and institutions involved in security arrangements like the South Sudan People's Defence Forces. It has authority to ratify international instruments negotiated by the executive, including those concerning cooperation with the United Nations and regional pacts brokered by IGAD.
Bills may originate from members of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, from committees formed in line with rules modeled on parliamentary precedents, or from the executive represented by the President of South Sudan. Draft laws follow stages of introduction, committee review, plenary debate, amendment, and passage in both chambers when constitutionally required; matters concerning state boundaries or constitutional amendment invoke procedures reflecting the Transitional Constitution. Once passed, laws require assent procedures associated with the executive and are subject to interpretation by the Supreme Court of South Sudan and review in contexts affected by agreements like the Revitalised Agreement.
Major political parties represented have included the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, and smaller parties and groupings formed in response to conflict-era factionalism such as splinter movements tied to actors like Peter Gadet and Thomas Cirilo. Party composition reflects power-sharing formulas negotiated in peace agreements and transitional arrangements that allocate seats to former combatant leaders, regional blocs including Eastern Equatoria, and non-state stakeholders represented by coalitions such as the South Sudan Opposition Alliance.
Parliamentary committees exercise oversight on sectors administered by bodies like the Ministry of Petroleum and the Ministry of Health (South Sudan), and scrutinize expenditures linked to entities such as the Bank of South Sudan. Standing committees—examples include finance, defense, and constitutional affairs—conduct inquiries, summon officials including cabinet ministers, and produce reports that feed into plenary debate. Committees work alongside oversight mechanisms specified in instruments like the Transitional Constitution and in coordination with institutions such as the Office of the President and external partners like the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
Plenary sessions convene in Juba under rules of procedure that govern quorums, speaking time, and voting, reflecting precedents from transitional parliamentary practice established after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Legislators enjoy parliamentary privileges and immunities for acts within their official functions, subject to limits prescribed by the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (2011). Special sittings may be called during states of emergency declared by the President of South Sudan or under provisions of peace accords mediated by actors such as IGAD.
Category:Politics of South Sudan