Rule 135  : Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

1.    A committee, an interparliamentary delegation, a political group or at least 40 Members may ask the President in writing for a debate to be held on an urgent case of a breach of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 149(3)).

2.    The Conference of Presidents shall draw up a list of subjects to be included in the final draft agenda for the next debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law on the basis of the requests referred to in paragraph 1 and in accordance with the provisions of Annex IV. The total number of subjects included in the agenda shall not exceed three, including sub-chapters.

In accordance with Rule 152, Parliament may abandon a topic due to be debated and replace it with an unscheduled topic. Motions for resolutions on the subjects chosen shall be tabled by the evening of the day on which the agenda is adopted. The President shall set the precise deadline for tabling such motions for resolutions.

3.    The total speaking time for the political groups and non-attached Members shall be allocated in accordance with the procedure laid down in Rule 162(4) and (5) within the maximum time for debates of 60 minutes per part-session.

Any time remaining after deducting the time required to introduce and vote on the motions for resolutions and any speaking time allocated to the Commission and Council shall be divided among the political groups and the non-attached Members.

4.    At the end of the debate there shall be an immediate vote. Rule 183 shall not apply.

Votes taken under this Rule may be organised on a collective basis under the responsibility of the President and the Conference of Presidents.

5.    If two or more motions for resolutions are tabled on the same subject, the procedure set out in Rule 123(4) shall apply.

6.    The President and political group Chairs may decide that a motion for a resolution will be put to the vote without debate. Such a decision shall require the unanimous assent of all the political group Chairs.

The provisions of Rules 187, 188 and 190 do not apply to motions for resolutions included on the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Motions for resolutions are tabled for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law only after the list of subjects has been adopted. Motions for resolutions that cannot be dealt with in the time allocated to the debate shall lapse. The same applies to motions for resolutions in respect of which it is established, following a request under Rule 168(3), that a quorum is not present. Members are entitled to retable such motions either for consideration in committee under Rule 133 or for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law at the next part-session.

A subject may not be included on the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law if it is already on the agenda for that part-session.

There are no provisions in the Rules to allow a joint debate on a motion for a resolution tabled in accordance with paragraph 2, second subparagraph, and a committee report on the same subject.

When a request is made under Rule 168(3) that it be established whether a quorum is present, this request shall be valid only for the motion for a resolution which is to be put to the vote and not for those which follow.