Spanish Congress of Deputies

Spanish Congress of Deputies is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, the national legislature of Spain, and is composed of Members of the European Parliament elected by the people. The Congress of Deputies is one of the two chambers that make up the Cortes Generales, the other being the Senate of Spain. The Congress is presided over by the President of the Congress of Deputies, who is elected by the Deputies from among their number, and is currently Mercedes Cabrera. The Congress of Deputies is headquartered in the Palacio de las Cortes in Madrid, near the Puerta del Sol.

● History

The Spanish Congress of Deputies has its roots in the Cortes of Castile, which was established in the 13th century by Alfonso X of Castile. The modern Congress of Deputies was established by the Spanish Constitution of 1812, which was adopted during the Peninsular War and established Spain as a constitutional monarchy with Ferdinand VII of Spain as its king. The Congress of Deputies played a key role in the Spanish transition to democracy following the death of Francisco Franco in 1975, with Adolfo Suárez serving as the first Prime Minister of Spain after the transition. The Congress of Deputies has also been involved in key events such as the Spanish general election, 1982, which was won by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party led by Felipe González, and the Spanish general election, 2011, which was won by the People's Party (Spain) led by Mariano Rajoy.

● Composition

The Congress of Deputies is composed of 350 members, who are elected by proportional representation for a term of four years. The members are elected from 50 electoral districts, which correspond to the 50 provinces of Spain. The Congress of Deputies is presided over by the President of the Congress of Deputies, who is assisted by a number of Vice-Presidents of the Congress of Deputies. The Congress of Deputies also has a number of committees, including the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which are responsible for examining and reporting on bills and other matters. The Congress of Deputies has been led by prominent figures such as Manuel Azaña, José Giral, and Luis María Anson, who have all played important roles in shaping the institution.

● Powers and Functions

The Congress of Deputies has a number of key powers and functions, including the power to pass laws and to approve the budget of the Government of Spain. The Congress of Deputies also has the power to investigate and to censure the Government of Spain, and to elect the Prime Minister of Spain. The Congress of Deputies works closely with the Senate of Spain and the Government of Spain, which is led by the Prime Minister of Spain and is composed of ministers such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Minister of Defence (Spain). The Congress of Deputies has also been involved in key international events such as the European Union's Lisbon Treaty and the NATO's Strategic Concept.

● Legislative Process

The legislative process in the Congress of Deputies typically begins with the introduction of a bill by the Government of Spain or by a member of the Congress of Deputies. The bill is then examined and reported on by a committee, and is debated and voted on by the full Congress of Deputies. If the bill is approved, it is sent to the Senate of Spain for consideration, and if it is approved by the Senate, it is sent to the King of Spain for signature. The Congress of Deputies has been involved in the passage of key laws such as the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the Organic Law on the General Electoral System. The Congress of Deputies has also been involved in key international agreements such as the Treaty of Lisbon and the Schengen Agreement.

● Current Composition

The current composition of the Congress of Deputies is the result of the Spanish general election, 2019, which was held on April 28, 2019. The election was won by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party led by Pedro Sánchez, which won 123 seats. The People's Party (Spain) led by Pablo Casado won 66 seats, while the Citizens (Spanish political party) led by Albert Rivera won 57 seats. The Unidas Podemos coalition led by Pablo Iglesias Turrión won 42 seats, while the Vox (political party) led by Santiago Abascal won 24 seats. The Congress of Deputies is currently composed of members from a number of different parties, including the Basque Nationalist Party, the Republican Left of Catalonia, and the Canarian Coalition. The Congress of Deputies has been led by prominent figures such as Felipe González, José María Aznar, and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who have all played important roles in shaping the institution and the country.