Sénat

General Information

Parliament name (generic / translated)	Parlement / Parliament
Structure of parliament	Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated)	Sénat / Senate
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments)	Assemblée nationale / National Assembly
Leadership
President	Rose Francine Rogombé (F)
Secretary General	Félix Owansango Deacken (M)
Composition
Members (statutory / current number)	102 / 102
Women (current number)	18 (17.65%)
Mode of designation	Indirectly elected 102
Term	6 years
Last renewal dates	18 January 2009

Legal Framework
Electoral law	15 April 1996
Mode of designation	Indirectly elected 102
Voting system	Majority: Indirect election by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies on the basis of majority vote (absolute in first round, simple in second). Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by substitutes chosen at the same time as titular members.
Voter requirements	members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies
Candidates
Eligibility	age: 40 years Gabonese citizenship ineligibility: certain high officials of the Government, members of the armed forces
Incompatibilities	membership of the Government or the Economic and Social Council (President and Vice President) membership of the Constitutional Court membership of the National Council of Communications national treasurer and other public accountants judges certain other high-ranking public officials salaried employees or chairman of the board of directors of a public or semi-public firm employees of a foreign State or international organisation commissioned and non-commissioned officers of defence and security forces salaried employees
Candidacy requirements	by parties, coalitions thereof or individuals

Appointment and term of office
Title	President of the Senate
Term	duration: 6 years (term of House) reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution
Appointment	elected by all the Senators who are present election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected Senate or when a vacancy occurs following the validation of mandates
Eligibility	any Senator may be a candidate
Voting system	formal vote by secret ballot absolute majority in the first round, relative majority in the second round, in the event of a tie in the second round, the oldest Senator is elected
Procedures / results	the oldest Senator presides over the Assembly during the voting the two youngest Senators act as Secretaries until the President has been elected
Status
Status	in the absence of the President, the Vice Presidents (by order of their rank) can assume his/her role and functions It is the Board that : * represents the Senate with public authorities
Board	is regulated by the Standing Orders of the Senate consists of the President, six Vice President, six Secretaries and two Questors
Material facilities	NA (no information received)