Speaker (politics)

The term Speaker is usually the title given to the presiding officer of a country's lower house (House of Commons or House of Representatives).

In countries with the Westminster System, the position of Speaker, modelled after the British office, is largely a ceremonial official charged with enforcing procedural rules. The speaker decides who may speak and has the powers to discipline members who break the procedures of the house. The speaker is elected from amongst the members of the assembly by the members, and no whipss are allowed in the selection. Nonetheless, a speaker from the ruling party is usually chosen.

Despite being an impartial position, the Speaker in a Westminster system has to stand for re-election if they wish to stay. In the Republic of Ireland the Speaker is deemed to have been elected if they seek re-election; in the United Kingdom it is a constitutional convention that no major party will put up a candidate against the 'Speaker seeking re-election'.

In the United States, the Speaker is the most powerful position in the United States House of Representatives and participates in legislating.

See:

• Speaker of the British House of Commons
• Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
• Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
• Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
• Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
• Ceann Comhairle (Speaker of the Irish Dáil)