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legislative provisions which shall take the form of decree-laws and which may not affect the legal system of the basic State institutions, the rights, duties and freedoms of the citizens contained in Part 1, the system of Self-governing Communities, or the general electoral law.

Ratification of Decree-Laws78.2 C2. Decree-laws must be inmediately submitted for debate and voting by the entire Congress, which must be summoned for this purpose if not already in session, within thirty days of their promulgation. The Congress shall adopt a specific decision on their ratification or repeal in the said period, for which purpose the Standing Orders shall provide a special summary procedure.

151 SO3. During the period referred to in the foregoing subsection, the Cortes may process them as Government bills by means of the urgency procedure.


Section 87

Initiative of bills81, 88, 89, 166 C1. Legislative initiative belongs to the Government, the Congress and the Senate, in accordance with the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the Houses.

Initiative by Autonomous Communities108 ss. 124-127 SO2. The Assemblies of Self-governing Communities may request the Government to adopt a bill or may refer a non-governmental bill to the Bureau of Congress and delegate a maximum of three Assembly members to defend it.

People's Initiatives3. An organic act shall lay down the manner and the requirements of the popular initiative for submission of non-governmental bills. In any case, no less than 500.000 authenticated signatures shall be required. This initiative shall not be allowed on matters concerning organic acts, taxation, international affairs or the prerogative of pardon.


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