The parliamentary debate and the manner of speaking

Abstract

The debate is the way of working of Parliament and ultimately what gives it its most prominent feature in relation to the other branches of government. There is a clear interdependence between the representative and deliberative character of Parliament. Further it plays an irreplaceable role in democracy, so it must be carefully managed: the public opinion can know the attitude of each party on each law and political problem. At the same time it allows to evaluate the capacity and preparedness of the representatives. It is a school of democracy and tolerance so far it accustoms the public to hear other opinions respectfully. The debate should be broad and free, but also minimally ordered. To this end, various rules govern the manner of speaking: the request of the floor, not interruption, prohibition of reading speeches and others. The Speaker of the House plays an outstanding role to achieve equal participation and to avoid improper use of the floor. In Spain the debate is very restrictive because it is focused on the spokespersons of the political groups, with little opportunity to speak to other lawmakers. It allows reading speeches thus it loses spontaneity and as a result decrease the interest of citizens.