Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 144 (1952).djvu/347

 half of the total membership of the House of Representatives or of the Senate, respectively, shall be necessary.

The fact that a Bill presented by the Government or by a Minister is voted down, or that a Bill returned by the President of the Republic is passed over his veto, shall in no way compel the Prime Minister or the Ministers to resign.

If a question of confidence arises simultaneously in both co-legislative bodies, that raised in the House of Representatives shall have preference.

166. There shall be total and partial crises. A total crisis shall be considered to be that raised with respect to the Prime Minister or that which refers to more than 3 Ministers. The others shall be considered partial.

167. The power to refuse confidence to the entire Government, to the Prime Minister or to any of the Ministers forming part of the Cabinet, can be exercised only after lapse of at least 6 months from the original appointment of the Cabinet, or from the subsequent production of a total crisis by the approval of a motion of no confidence by the respective co-legislative body, according to the rules-established in this Constitution. Ministers who have been named because of removal of their predecessors in a partial crisis can be subjected to a vote of no confidence only 6 months from their designation, unless it is a case of a total crisis.

When either of the co-legislative bodies has resolved favourably on a motion of no confidence, it cannot again raise one until a year has elapsed, during which the said power shall pertain to the other co-legislative body, which in any case cannot exercise it until at least 6 months have elapsed from the appointment of the Cabinet or Ministers to whom said question refers.

Two partial crises shall be equivalent to a total crisis, for the purpose of the six months’ restriction to which this Article refers.

In no case can questions of confidence be raised in the last 6 months of each presidential term.

The Cabinet can of itself raise a question of confidence with respect to the entirety of its members, or with respect to any of the Ministers. In this case it shall be immediately discussed and resolved.