Chamber of Emissaries (Cartadania)

Chamber of Emissaries
158th Cartadanian National Congress
Type
Type	Lower house of the National Congress
Term limits	None
History
New session started	2 December 2024
Leadership
Orator Princeps	Vítor Cabello (SDP) since 17 January 2025
Majority Leader	Roberto Flores (SDP) since 17 January 2025
Minority Leader	Ernest Edán (UCP) since 17 January 2025
Structure
Seats	526 264 for a majority
Political groups	Majority   SDP (277) Minority   UCP (212)   PRS (10)   PP (9)   CEN (5)   MDL (4)   HMN (2)   LBR (2)   ADC (1)   CTZ (1)   FDS (1)   VAM (1)
Length of term	2 years
Authority	Article 4, Cartadanian Constitution
Elections
Last election	1 October 2024 (38 seats)
Next election	6 October 2026 (38 seats)
Redistricting	State legislatures or redistricting commissions, varies by state
Meeting place
Emissary Hall Cartadanian Capitol Alahuela Cartadania
Website
emissarios.gov.ca

The Chamber of Emissaries is the lower house of the National Congress. The Chamber convenes, along with the Senate, at the Cartadanian Capitol in Alahuela. Together with the Senate, the upper house, it forms the national bicameral legislature of Cartadania.

The composition and powers of the Chamber are established by the fourth article of Cartadania's Constitution. The Chamber is composed of emissaries (representatives) who sit in congressional districts which are allocated to each of the 31 states, six territories, and capital city on a basis of population as measured by the Census, with each district entitled one emissary at minimum. Since its inception in 1680, all emissaries are elected popularly. The total number of voting emissaries is now fixed by law at no more than 550, although only 526 are actively assigned while the remaining 24 are reserved for future states and/or territories. As of the 2020 Census, the largest delegation is that of Verona, with 104 emissaries; the smallest is that of the state of Lipora, and six of the eight territories (Alahuela and Santa Domenica both have three), with one emissary each.

The Chamber is charged with the passage of federal legislation, known as bills, which, after concurrence by the Senate, are sent to the President for consideration. In addition to this basic power, the Chamber has certain exclusive powers which include the power to initiate all bills related to revenue, the impeachment of federal officers, who are sent to trial in the Senate, and in cases wherein no candidate receives a majority of electors for President, the duty falls upon the Chamber to elect one of the top three recipients of electors for that office, with one vote given to each state and territory for that purpose.

The presiding officer is the Orator Princeps, who is elected by the members thereof and is therefore traditionally the leader of the controlling party. He or she and other floor leaders are chosen by the Social Democracy Caucus or the Conservative Conferences, depending on whichever party has more voting members. The Chamber meets in the south wing of the Cartadanian Capitol, known as Emissary Hall.