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House of Assembly of Barbados
The House of Assembly of Barbados is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament (MPs), who are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority (or first-past-the-post) system for a term of five years. The House of Assembly sits roughly 40–45 days a year and is presided over by a Speaker. The Barbadian House of Assembly chamber is located in the east-wing of The Public Buildings on Broad Street, in Bridgetown, Barbados. HistoryThe genesis of a legislature in Barbados was introduced by Governor Henry Hawley, creating a structure of governance to Barbados, itself patterned after the Parliament of England). The then unicameral Parliament originally was tasked with establishing a system of laws and was completely under the domination of the island's planter-class. The first meeting of the Barbados Assembly was held in 22 June 1639 making it the third oldest legislature in the Americas (behind the Virginia General Assembly and Bermuda House of Assembly), and is among the oldest in the Commonwealth of Nations.[1] [2] [3] Oath of affirmationUnder section 59 of the constitution, before entering upon the functions of his office, the MPs must take the oath of allegiance to Barbados. Next electionThe Constitution of Barbados reads, in part:
The next election is therefore due to be held in 2027, but can be held sooner if the President of Barbados so directs. Latest elections
Previous electionsIn previous elections the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Barbados National Party (BNP) (which previously was known as the Voter's Association, Barbados Electors Association and the Progressive Conservative Party in prior years), the West Indian National Congress Party (WINCP) and Independents also won seats besides the two big parties - the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) (earlier known as the Barbados Progressive League (BPL)) and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP). The DLP had been in opposition since 6 September 1994. Fourteen years later when they won a surprise victory of 20 seats to 10 on 15 January 2008, DLP Leader David Thompson was sworn in as the 6th Prime Minister of Barbados. Freundel Stuart was sworn in on 23 October 2010 because of the death of Prime Minister Thompson, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2010. Two months later in May he became ill when the then acting prime minister Freundel Stuart had started, and five months later he was sworn in on 23 October as the 7th prime minister of Barbados. On 23 February 2013 he was sworn in as the 7th prime minister of Barbados by obtaining sixteen out of thirty seats. The general elections of 21 February were one of the closest elections Barbados has ever seen. On 24 May 2018, the BLP returned to power under Mia Mottley with a historic landslide victory that saw them win all 30 seats in parliament and Mottley becoming the first female prime minister and the 8th prime minister overall.[5] This occurred once again on the 19 January 2022 when the Mottley Administration won all 30 seats again in another landslide victory.[6]
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