If the Assembly withdraws its confidence from any of the Prime Minister’s deputies or of the Ministers or of their deputies, they shall resign from office.

The Prime Minister shall submit his resignation to the President of the Republic if his responsibility is determined by the People’s Assembly.

Article 129

At least twenty members of the People’s Assembly may ask for the discussion of a public issue to ascertain the Government’s policy regarding on the matter.

Article 130

The members of the People’s Assembly shall be entitled to express their opinions concerning public issues in the presence of the Prime Minister or any of his deputies or of the Ministers.

Article 131

The People’s Assembly may form an ad hoc committee or use any of its committees for the monitoring of the activities of any of the administrative departments, the general administrative institutions, any administrative or executive organ or of public projects for the purpose of finding facts and providing the Assembly with information on the actual financial, administrative or economic situation [of those institutions] or for investigating issues related to said activities.

In the course of its enquiry, the committee shall be entitled to collect whatever evidence it deems necessary and to subpoena all those from whom it requests information.

All executive and administrative bodies shall comply with the requests of the committee and put at its disposal all the documents and evidence it has asked for.

Article 132

At the inaugural meeting of the ordinary session of the People’s Assembly, the President of the Republic shall deliver a statement of the general policy of the State.

He shall also deliver other statements before the Assembly.

The Assembly is entitled to discuss the statements of the President of the Republic.

Article 133[25]

The Prime Minister shall submit the program of the Government to the People’s Assembly within sixty days of the date of its formation or at its first meeting should the Assembly not be in session. If the Assembly does not approve the program by the majority of its members, the President of the Republic must accept the resignation of the Government. If the Assembly does not ratify the program of the new Cabinet, the President of the Republic may either dissolve the Assembly or accept the resignation of the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister and the Ministers and other members of the Government may deliver a statement before the People’s Assembly or any of its committees on any subject matter within their competence. The Assembly or the committee shall discuss the statement and express its opinions concerning the observations made in the statement.

Article 134

The Prime Minister, his deputies, the Ministers and their deputies may become members of the People’s Assembly.

Those of them who are not members may attend the sessions and committees of the Assembly.

Article 135

The Prime Minister and Ministers shall be heard in the People’s Assembly and its committees whenever they request to speak.

They may be assisted by high-ranking officials.

A Minister shall not be entitled to vote in the Assembly, unless he is a member.

Article 136[26]

The President of the Republic shall not dissolve the Assembly unless it is necessary. If the Assembly has been dissolved over a particular issue, it may not be dissolved again over the same issue. The decision must include a call for new elections to be held sixty days at the latest after the dissolution order has been issued.

The new Assembly shall hold its first meeting within ten days of its election.

CHAPTER III The Executive

Section I The President of the Republic

Article 137

The President of the Republic shall assume executive power and shall exercise it in the manner stipulated in the Constitution.

Article 138[27]

The President of the Republic in coordination with the Government shall lay down the general policy of the State and supervise its implementation in the manner prescribed in the Constitution.

The President of the Republic shall exercise the competences stipulated in Articles 144, 145, 146 and 147 after having obtained the approval of the Cabinet and the competences stipulated in Articles 108, 148, 151 (second paragraph) after its consultation.

Article 139

The President of the Republic may appoint one or more Vice-Presidents, define their competences and relieve them of their posts.

The rules on the accountability of the President of the Republic shall be applicable equally to the Vice-Presidents.

Article 140

Before assuming his functions, the Vice-President shall take the following oath before the President of the Republic:

“I swear by Almighty God to uphold the Republican system faithfully, to respect the Constitution and the law, to look after the interests of the people and to safeguard the independence and territorial integrity of the motherland”.

Article 141[28]

The President of the Republic shall appoint the Prime Minister and relieve him of his functions; the appointment and dismissal of the deputies of the Prime Minister, of the Ministers and their deputies shall be made by the President of the Republic after consultation of the Prime Minister.

Article 142

The President of the Republic shall have the right to call a meeting of the Council of Ministers and to attend its meeting.

He shall also preside over the meetings he attends.

He shall be entitled to demand reports from the Ministers.

Article 143

The President of the Republic shall appoint the civil and military officials and the diplomatic representatives, and to dismiss them in the manner prescribed by law. He shall also accredit the diplomatic representatives of foreign states.

Article 144

The President of the Republic shall issue the necessary regulations for the implementation of the laws in a manner which does not modify, obstruct or prevent their execution.

He shall have the right to vest others with authority to issue the regulations. The law may determine the authorities competent to take the measures required for their implementation.

Article 145

The President of the Republic shall issue the police regulations.

Article 146

The President of Republic shall issue the necessary rules for the creation and organization of the public services and authorities.

Article 147

If events during the absence of the People’s Assembly require the adoption of measures which cannot be delayed, the President of the Republic may take them by issuing regulations which have the force of law. They must be submitted to the People’s Assembly within fifteen days from their date of issuance if the Assembly is in session. In case of dissolution or recess of the Assembly, they shall be submitted at its first meeting.

In case the regulations are not submitted to the Assembly, they lose their binding character with retroactive effect, without need for a specific decision to this effect. If they are submitted but not ratified, they cease to be effective retroactively, unless the Assembly ratifies their validity for the previous period or determines their effects in any other manner.

Article 148

The President of the Republic shall proclaim a state of emergency in the manner prescribed by law.

The proclamation must be submitted within the following fifteen days to the People’s Assembly for a decision.

In case the People’s Assembly is dissolved, the matter shall be submitted to the new Assembly at its first meeting.

In all cases, the proclamation of the state of emergency shall be issued for a limited period which may only be extended with the approval of the Assembly.

Article 149

The President of Republic shall have the right of granting amnesty or commuting sentences.

A general amnesty can only be granted by virtue of a law.

Article 150

The President of Republic shall be the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

He shall be the authority who declares war, after the approval of the People’s Assembly.

Article 151

The President of Republic shall conclude international treaties and forward them to the People’s Assembly with the necessary explanations.

The treaties shall have the force of law after their conclusion, ratification and publication in accordance with the established procedure. However, peace treaties, alliance pacts, commercial and maritime and all the treaties involving modifications in the national territory or affecting the rights of sovereignty, or imposing charges on the State treasury which are not provided for in the budget must be approved by the People’s Assembly.

Article 152

The President of the Republic may call a referendum on important matters affecting the supreme interests of the country.

Section II The Government

Article 153

The Government shall be the supreme executive and administrative organ of the State.