The investigation committees in the Spanish pre-constitutional Parliaments known as the Cortes Constituyentes (1977-1979)

Authors

  • Miguel Ángel Giménez Martínez

Keywords:

Scrutinizing function, parliamentary inquiries, Constituent Cortes, transition to democracy in Spain

Abstract

Among the means Legislatures have to exercise their scrutinizing and informing functions, Select Committees are maybe the most important ones, because they allow Parliaments to display special powers on any issue of public interest, examining and challenging the work of Government. Parliamentary inquiries had been provided for in many Spanish historical Rules of Procedure, and they were included in the regulations of the 1977 Cortes too. Nevertheless, the double face of those Chambers (ordinary and constituent), which was result of the nature adopted by the process of transition from dictatorship to democracy, altered the essence of these parliamentary organs and determined the development of its powers.

Issue

Section

ARTICLES