Transitional Federal Parliament

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Somalia
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The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic (Somali: Golaha Shacabka Federaalka Kumeelgaarka ee Jamhuuriyada Soomaaliya; often Baarlamaanka Federaalka Soomaaliya) is an interim Parliament of Somalia formed in neighbouring Kenya in 2004.

The Parliament as the legislative branch formed the executive branch, known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Somali Republic (Dowalada Federaalka Ku Meel gaarka ah ee Jamhuuriyada Soomaaliya) by electing Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as president of Somalia in 2004.^[1] He appointed a cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi.

The Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP), Transitional Federal Government (TFG), and the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC) collectively comprise the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFI) of the new Somali government. The TFG is the successor to the Transitional National Government (TNG) of 2000–2004.^[2]

1 Transitional Federal Parliament
2 History
3 Notes and references
4 External links

[edit] Transitional Federal Parliament

The Transitional Federal Parliament has 275 members, with each of Somalia's four major clans getting 61 seats in the parliament, while an alliance of minority clans was awarded 31 seats. The Charter also dictates that at least 12% of the Parliament shall be women (Article 29).

One of the formal de jure powers vested in the Parliament according to the Transitional Federal Charter (Article 5) is the governance and administration of Mogadishu as the capital city. However, in actuality this power de facto lies in the hands of particular warlords, many of whom are also members of parliament. De facto the state is in anomie with only loose governmental structures.

On February 26, 2006 the parliament first met inside Somalia, in the city of Baidoa, 260 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu. 210 lawmakers of the 275-member parliament met in a grain warehouse temporarily converted into a meeting hall.^[3] For this reason the Transitional Federal Government is also sometimes referred to as simply the "Baidoa Government."

[edit] Leaders of Parliament

Position	Current or latest known officer
Speaker	Sheikh Adan Madobe (elected January 21, 2007)^[4]
Deputy Speaker	Osman Elmi Boqore^[4]

[edit] List of Parliamentarians

Main article: List of members of the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament

[edit] Islamic sharia as basis of national law

Main article: Judiciary of Somalia

Chapter 2 of the Transitional Federal Charter defines Islam as the national religion and sharia law as the basis of national legislation (Article 8).

Chapter 9 of the Charter defines the scope and powers of the federal judiciary. Until its broader adoption, many de facto decisions were or still are made by local tribal meetings, or, during 2006, by the sharia courts organized by the Islamic Courts Union.

[edit] History

Main article: History of the Transitional Federal Government of the Republic of Somalia

The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Republic of Somalia has had a tumultuous history. It is the most recent attempt to restore national institutions to Somalia after the 1991 downfall of Siad Barre and the ensuing Somali Civil War. The country has been run for more than a decade by tribal factions and warlords.