constituteproject.org • Oaths to abide by constitution PDF generated: 18 Apr 2016, 16:56 Article 52 Before taking possession of his functions, the Vice-president of the Republic, the Prime Minister and other Members of the Government take the oath of fidelity before the President of the Republic, to his person and to this Fundamental Law. Article 53 The Council of Ministers in Plenum and the Ministers separately may concur with voice and without vote to the debates of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. They also concur when they are invited to inform. Chapter IV: Of the Parliament Common Provisions of the Chambers • Claim of universal suffrage Article 54 The power to legislate resides in the people, who delegates it to the Parliament through universal suffrage and who exercises it within the framework of competencies provided by this Fundamental Law. • Structure of legislative chamber(s) • Joint meetings of legislative chambers Article 55 The Parliament exercises the Legislative Power of the State. Two Chambers compose it: the Chamber of the Deputies and the Senate. Both Organs participate in the formulation of laws and act separately and jointly in the manner established by this Fundamental Law and other laws in the exercise of their respective functions and competencies. • First chamber selection • Second chamber selection • Scheduling of elections • Secret ballot • Term length for first chamber • Term length of second chamber • Claim of universal suffrage Article 56   1.   2. • Eligibility for first chamber • Eligibility for second chamber   3. The Deputies and Senators are elected for a mandate of five years through universal, direct, and secret suffrage in general elections that are held on one day and within sixty days before or after the termination of their mandate. The seats of the Deputies and of the Senators are attributed to each list of candidacy by the system of representation determined by the law. The Electoral Law determines the number of seats that correspond to each electoral circumscription, the regime of eligibility and ineligibility and of compatibility and incompatibility of the Deputies and Senators, and develops the other aspects of the electoral process. Article 57 The Deputies and the Senators are not bound by imperative mandate. Equatorial Guinea 1991 (rev. 2012) Page 19