|
Uruguay The Executive
Executive power was exercised by the president of the
republic, acting with the advice of the Council of
Ministers. The
vice president of the republic served as the president of
the
General Assembly and the Senate. The president and vice
president
were elected for five-year terms by a simple majority of
the
people through a unique voting system. Candidates had to
be at
least thirty-five years of age, native born, and in full
possession of their civil rights. After a period following
their
election, the president and vice president were sworn in
before
both chambers of the General Assembly and took office on
March 1.
Neither could be reelected until five years after the
completion
of their terms.
The president's duties included publishing all laws and
enforcing them, informing the General Assembly of the
state of
the republic and of proposed improvements and reforms,
making
objections to or observations on bills sent by the General
Assembly, proposing bills to the chambers or amendments to
laws
previously enacted, conferring civilian and military
offices, and
removing civil servants (with the consent of the Senate)
for
"inefficiency, dereliction of duty, or malfeasance." The
key
civilian appointments made by the president were cabinet
members.
A 1986 constitutional amendment returned to the
presidency
the power to command the armed forces and appoint the
armed
forces commander. The chief executive granted promotions
to
members of the armed forces, with the consent of the
Senate for
promotions to colonel or higher ranks. The president also
was
responsible for maintaining internal order and external
security.
Although the constitution did not give the president
sweeping
powers in cases of emergency, Article 168 empowered the
chief
executive "to take prompt measures of security in grave
and
unforeseen cases of foreign attack or internal disorder."
In such
an event, the president was required to explain his action
to a
joint session of the General Assembly or, if it was in
recess, to
the Permanent Commission within twenty-four hours.
Other presidential powers included decreeing the
severance of
diplomatic relations with another country and declaring
war if
arbitration or other pacific means to avoid it were
unsuccessful.
The president appointed ambassadors and other foreign
service
diplomatic personnel. The chief executive could not leave
the
country for more than forty-eight hours without
authorization
from the Senate. The president could not be impeached
unless
found guilty of violations of articles of the constitution
or
other serious offenses.
The Council of Ministers included the cabinet ministers
(appointed by the president) and the president of the
Central
Bank of Uruguay. Each appointee had to be approved by a
simple
majority in each chamber of the General Assembly. Cabinet
members
had to be native-born citizens in full possession of their
civil
rights and at least thirty years of age. They could be
removed
from office by impeachment proceedings initiated by the
Chamber
of Representatives and approved by the Senate.
When all the cabinet ministers or their deputies met
and
acted jointly, the body was known as the Council of
Ministers.
Presided over by the president of the republic, who had a
vote,
the Council of Ministers was responsible for all acts of
government and administration. In addition, a number of
autonomous entities
(
autonomous agencies or state
enterprises; see Glossary) and decentralized services were important in
government administration
(see Public Administration
, this
ch.).
The principal duties of the cabinet members were to
enforce
the constitution, laws, decrees, and resolutions; to
formulate
and submit for the consideration of superior authority any
laws,
decrees, and resolutions they deemed appropriate; to
effect--
within the limits of their functions--the payment of the
national
debt; to propose the appointment or discharge of employees
of
their ministries; and to perform any other functions
entrusted to
them by laws or by measures adopted by the executive
power. They
could attend the sessions of either chamber of the General
Assembly and their respective standing committees, and
they could
take part in debate, but they could not vote.
Data as of December 1990
|
