29
For legislative and other work Althingi is usually divided into two
Houses, the efri deild or Upper House and the ned: deild or Lower
House. But sometimes both Houses work together in a United Althingi.
The members constituting the efri deild are the six chosen by the
whole electorate and eight others, whom the united Althingi chooses
from amongst the representatives elected by the constituencies, the
remaining twenty-eight forming the nedri deild. Whilst both Houses
are on the whole on an equal fooling, the budget must be introduced
in the nedri deild. Both Houses and the united Althingi choose their
respective speakers. The rules of procedure for both Houses (deildiv)
and the united Althingi are fixed by law. Althingi itself decides whether
its members are lawfully elected and whether a member has forfeited
his eligibility. While the sittings of Althingi are as a rule held in
public, either House and the united Althingi may determine to discuss
an affair behind closed doors. No decision can be made by either
House unless more than half of the assembly is present and vote,
and in a united Althingi more than one-half of the members of each
House must be present. Generally, resolutions are passed by simple
majority, but sometimes an increased majority is required (vide infra).
Besides the buisness done at sittings, Althingi also works in com-
mittees. Each House can appoint committees of its own members to
examine important matters. There are thus both standing committees,
each having its special kind of affairs to deal with, and special com-
mittees, appointed for the purpose of inquiring into certain matters.
Each House may furnish its committees with authority to demand oral
or written reports from civil service officials and private persons.
Committee meetings are not open to the public. The proceedings of
Althingi, i. e., the debates, parliamentary documents and votings, are
published in the parliamentary Gazette.
Although Althingi is in the main a legislative assembly, it can both
control and influence the administrative work of the government. This
is primarily due to the fact that Althingi commands the sources of
supply, for both the budget proper and the supplementary budget
require its sanction; nor must any payments be made from the public
treasury unless authorized by Althingi. The sanction of Althingi is ne-
cessary for imposing, changing or abolishing taxes, duties and customs,
for the State to take up loans; for disposing of any public domains
or the right of using such domains. The national accounts of revenue
and expenditure during each financial year must be sanctioned by
Althingi, which appoints three auditors to examine them. — As already