Page:Spanish Constitution.djvu/15

Constitució Espanyola :It is incumbent upon the King:


 * a) To sanction and promulgate the laws.


 * b) To summon and dissolve the Cortes Generales and to call for elections under the terms provided for in the Constitution.


 * c) To call for a referendum in the cases provided for in the Constitution.


 * d) To propose a candidate for President of the Government and, as the case may be, appoint him or her or remove him or her from office, as provided in the Constitution.


 * e) To appoint and dismiss members of the Government on the President of the Government's proposal.


 * f) To issue the decrees approved in the Council of Ministers, to confer civil and military positions and award honours and distinctions in conformity with the law.


 * g) To be informed of the affairs of State and, for this purpose, to preside over the meetings of the Council of Ministers whenever, he sees fit, at the President of the Government's request.


 * h) To exercise supreme command of the Armed Forces.


 * i) To exercise the right of clemency in accordance with the law, which may not authorize general pardons.


 * j) To exercise the High Patronage of the Royal Academies.

Section 63


 * 1. The King accredits ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives. Foreign representatives in Spain are accredited before him.


 * 2. It is incumbent upon the King to express the State's assent to international commitments through treaties, in conformity with the Constitution and the laws.


 * 3. It is incumbent upon the King, following authorization by the Cortes Generales, to declare war and to make peace.

Section 64


 * 1. The King's acts shall be countersigned by the President of the Go vernmentGovernment [sic] and, when appropriate, by the competent ministers. The nomination and appointment of the President of the Government and the dissolution provided for under section 99, shall be countersigned by the Speaker of the Congress.


 * 2. The persons countersigning the King's acts shall be liable for them.

Section 65


 * 1. The King receives an overall amount from the State Budget for the maintenance of his Family and Household and distributes it freely.
 * 2. The King freely appoints and dismisses civil and military members of his Household.

Section 66


 * 1. The Cortes Generales represent the Spanish people and shall consist of the Congress and the Senate.


 * 2. The Cortes Generales exercise the legislative power of the State and adopt its Budget, control the action of the Government and have the other competences assigned by the Constitution.


 * 3. The Cortes Generales are inviolable.

Section 67


 * 1. No one may be a member of both Houses simultaneously, or be a representative in the Assembly of a Self governing Community and a Member of Congress at the same time.


 * 2. Members of the Cortes Generales shall not be bound by any compulsory mandate.

 3. Meetings of members of Parliament which are held without having been called in the statutory manner, shall not be binding on the Houses, and members may not exercise their functions nor enjoy their  Página 12 de 38