Father of the House
Father of the House is a term that has been by tradition bestowed unofficially on certain members of some legislatures, most notably the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. In some legislatures the term refers to the longest continuously-serving member, while in others it refers to the oldest member. Recently, the term Mother of the House or Mother of Parliament has also been used, although the usage varies between countries; it is simply the female alternative to Father of the House, being applied when the relevant member is a woman.
United Kingdom
House of Commons
The Father of the House is a title that is bestowed on the senior member of the House of Commons who has the longest continuous service.[1][2] If two or more members have the same length of current uninterrupted service, then whoever was sworn in earliest, as listed in Hansard, is named as Father of the House.[3] Traditionally, however, the qualification used for the Father of the House are not entirely clear and may have included the oldest member, the member with the longest aggregate service, or the member who entered the House longest ago.[2]
The only formal duty of the Father of the House is to preside over the election of the Speaker of the House of Commons. However, the relevant Standing Order does not refer to this member by the title of "Father of the House", referring instead to the longest-serving member of the House present who is not a Minister of the Crown. Until 1971, the Clerk of the House of Commons presided over the election of the speaker. As the clerk is never a member, and therefore is not permitted to speak, he would silently stand and point at the Member who was to speak. However, this procedure broke down at the election of a new Speaker in 1971 and was changed upon the recommendation of a Select Committee.[4]
The current Father of the House of Commons is Kenneth Clarke, Conservative MP for Rushcliffe, who began his continuous service at the 1970 general election. Dennis Skinner, Labour MP for Bolsover, also began continuous service at the 1970 general election, but was sworn in after Clarke.[5][6][3]
The first recorded usage of the title dates back to 1816 an engraved portrait of Whitshed Keene by Charles Picart, dated 1 February. Henry Campbell-Bannerman was simultaneously Father of the House and Prime Minister from May 1907 until soon before his death during April 1908.[2] On 13 June 2017 Harriet Harman was dubbed "Mother of the House" by Prime Minister Theresa May, in recognition of her status as longest continuously serving woman MP.[7]
Name | Entered Parliament | Father (Standing Order No 1) | Left House | Party | Constituency | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sir John Fagg | 1654 | 1701 | 1701 | Steyning | ||
Thomas Turgis | 1659 | 1701 | 1704 | Gatton | ||
Sir Christopher Musgrave, 4th Baronet | 1661 | 1704 | 1704 | Westmorland | ||
Thomas Strangways | 1673 | 1704 | 1713 | Dorset | ||
Sir Richard Onslow | 1679 | 1713 | 1715
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Guildford (1713–14) Surrey (1714–15) | |
Thomas Erle | 1679 | 1715 | 1718
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Wareham | |
Edward Vaughan | 1679 | 1718 | 1718
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Cardiganshire | |
Richard Vaughan | 1685 continuous from 1689 |
1718 | 1724
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Carmarthen | |
Lord William Powlett | 1689 | 1724 | 1729
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Winchester (1689–1710, 1715–29) Lymington (1710–15) | |
Sir Justinian Isham, 4th Baronet | 1685 continuous from 1694 |
1729 | 1730
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Northampton (1685–90, 1694–98) Northamptonshire (1698–30) | |
Sir Charles Turner, 1st Baronet, of Warham | 1695 | 1730 | 1738
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | King's Lynn | |
Sir Roger Bradshaigh | 1695 | 1738 | 1747
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Wigan | |
Sir Edward Ashe | 1695 | 1747 | 1747
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Heytesbury | |
Sir Thomas Cartwright | 1695 continuous from 1701 |
1747 | 1748
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Northamptonshire | |
Sir Richard Shuttleworth | 1705 | 1748 | 1749
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Lancashire | |
Phillips Gybbon | 1707 | 1749 | 1762
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Rye | |
Sir John Rushout, 4th Baronet | 1713 | 1762 | 1768
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Malmesbury (1713–22) Evesham (1722–68) | |
William Aislabie | 1721 | 1768 | 1781
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Ripon | |
Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore | 1733 | 1781 | 1782
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Thetford (1733–54, 1774–82) Hereford (1754–68) Heytesbury (1768–74) | |
The Earl Nugent | 1741 | 1782 | 1784
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | St Mawes (1741–54, 1774–84) Bristol (1754–74) | |
Sir Charles Frederick | 1741 | 1784 |
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | New Shoreham (1741–54) Queenborough (1754–84) | |
The Lord Mendip | 1741 | 1784 | 1790
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Cricklade (1741–47) Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (1747–61, 1774–90) Aylesbury (1761–68) Petersfield (1768–74, 1791–95) | |
William Drake | 1746 | 1790 | 1796 | Amersham | ||
Sir Philip Stephens, 1st Baronet | 1759 | 1796 | 1806
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Liskeard (1759–68) Sandwich (1768–1801) | |
Clement Tudway | 1761 | 1806 | 1815 | Wells | ||
Sir John Aubrey, 6th Baronet | 1768 | 1815 | 1826
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | Wallingford (1768–74, 1780–84) Aylesbury (1774–1780) Buckinghamshire (1780–90) Clitheroe (1790–96) Aldeburgh (1796–1801) Steyning (1812–20) Horsham (1820–26) | |
Sir Samuel Smith | 1788 | 1826 | 1832
style="width: 2px; background-color: #3333CC;" data-sort-value="Tories (British political party)" | |
Tory | St Germans (1788–90) Leicester (1790–1818) Midhurst (1818–20) Wendover (1820–32) | |
George Byng | 1790 | 1832 | 1847
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Middlesex | |
Charles Williams-Wynn | 1797 | 1847 | 1850
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Old Sarum (1797–99) Montgomeryshire (1797–1850) | |
George Harcourt | 1806 | 1850 | 1861
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FF7F00;" data-sort-value="Whigs (British political party)" | |
Whig | Lichfield (1806–31) Oxfordshire (1831–62) | |
Sir Charles Burrell, 3rd Baronet | 1806 | 1861 | 1862
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | New Shoreham | |
Henry Cecil Lowther | 1812 | 1862 | 1867
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Westmorland | |
Thomas Peers Williams | 1820 | 1867 | 1868
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Marlow | |
Henry Lowry-Corry | 1825 | 1868 | 1873
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Tyrone | |
George Weld-Forester | 1828 | 1873 | 1874
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Wenlock | |
Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot | 1830 | 1874 | 1890
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | Glamorganshire (1830–85) Mid Glamorganshire (1885–90) | |
Charles Pelham Villiers | 1835 | 1890 | 1898
style="width: 2px; background-color: #2061A2;" data-sort-value="Liberal Unionist Party" | |
Liberal Unionist | Wolverhampton (1835–85) Wolverhampton South (1885–1898) | |
Sir John Mowbray, 1st Baronet | 1853 | 1898 | 1899
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Durham City (1853–85) Oxford University (1885–1899) | |
William Wither Beach | 1857 | 1899 | 1901
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | North Hampshire (1857–85) Andover (1885–1901) | |
Michael Hicks Beach | 1864 | 1901 | 1906
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Gloucestershire East (1864–85) Bristol West (1885–1906) | |
George Finch | 1867 | 1906 | 1907
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Rutland | |
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 1868 | 1907 | 1908
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | Stirling Burghs | |
Sir John Kennaway, 3rd Baronet | 1870 | 1908 | 1910
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | East Devon (1870–85) Honiton (1885–1910) | |
Thomas Burt | 1874 | 1910 | 1918
style="width: 2px; background-color: orange;" data-sort-value="Liberal-Labour (UK)" | |
Lib-Lab | Morpeth | |
T. P. O'Connor | 1880 | 1918 | 1929
style="width: 2px; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Nationalist Party (Ireland)" | |
Irish Nationalist | Galway Borough (1880–85) Liverpool Scotland (1885–1929) | |
David Lloyd George | 1890 | 1929 | 1945
style="width: 2px; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | Caernarvon Boroughs | |
The Earl Winterton | 1904 | 1945 | 1951
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Horsham (1904–18, 1945–51) Horsham and Worthing (1918–45) | |
Sir Hugh O'Neill | 1915 | 1951 | 1952
style="width: 2px; background-color: #48A5EE;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | |
Ulster Unionist | Mid Antrim (1915–22) Antrim (1922–50) North Antrim (1950–52) | |
David Grenfell | 1922 | 1952 | 1959
style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | Gower | |
Sir Winston Churchill | 1900 continuous from 1924 |
1959 | 1964
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Oldham (1900–06) Manchester North West (1906–08) Dundee (1908–22) Epping (1924–45) Woodford (1945–64) | |
R. A. Butler | 1929 | 1964 | 1965
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Saffron Walden | |
Sir Robin Turton | 1929 | 1965 | 1974
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Thirsk and Malton | |
George Strauss | 1929 continuous from 1934 |
1974 | 1979
style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | Lambeth North (1929–31, 1934–50) Vauxhall (1950–79) | |
John Parker | 1935 | 1979 | 1983
style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | Romford (1935–45) Dagenham (1945–83) | |
James Callaghan | 1945 | 1983 | 1987
style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | Cardiff South (1945–50) Cardiff South East (1950–83) Cardiff South and Penarth (1983–87) | |
Sir Bernard Braine | 1950 | 1987 | 1992
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Billericay (1950–55) South East Essex (1955–83) Castle Point (1983–92) | |
Sir Edward Heath | 1950 | 1992 | 2001
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Bexley (1950–74) Sidcup (1974–83) Old Bexley and Sidcup (1983–2001) | |
Tam Dalyell | 1962 | 2001 | 2005
style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | West Lothian (1962–83) Linlithgow (1983–2005) | |
Alan Williams | 1964 | 2005 | 2010
style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | Swansea West | |
Sir Peter Tapsell | 1959 continuous from 1966 |
2010 | 2015
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Nottingham West (1959–64) Horncastle (1966–83) East Lindsey (1983–97) Louth and Horncastle (1997–2015) | |
Sir Gerald Kaufman | 1970 | 2015 | 2017
style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | Manchester Ardwick (1970–83) Manchester Gorton (1983–2017) | |
Kenneth Clarke | 1970 | 2017 | incumbent
style="width: 2px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | Rushcliffe (1970–present) |
Australia
In Australia, the current member of the House of Representatives with the longest period of continuous service, whether a Minister or not, is known as "Father of the House". Similarly, the current member of the Senate with the longest period of continuous service is known as "Father of the Senate". The longer serving of the two Fathers is called "Father of the Parliament".
As in Britain, these terms have no official status. However, unlike Britain:
- the term Father of the House/Senate applies where there is one member whose continuous service is unequivocally longer than any other, as determined by the date of election (House) or the date of the start of the term (Senate). Where two or more members have equal length of continuous service, more than any other members, they are considered joint Fathers of the House/Senate. Some state parliaments, however, use the British convention of giving precedence by order of swearing into office.
- the Father of the House and the Father of the Senate in Australia do not have any parliamentary role at all. The election of the presiding officers is conducted by the Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Senate respectively.
Since 6 February 2015, Senator Ian Macdonald, who was first appointed during 1990, has been the Father of the Senate.
Philip Ruddock, who was first elected during 1973, was the Father of the House of Representatives and Father of the Parliament from 1 September 1998 until his retirement on 9 May 2016. He was succeeded by Senator Ian Macdonald as Father of the Parliament and Kevin Andrews as Father of the House.
Canada
The longest-serving member of the House of Commons who is not a cabinet minister is known as the Dean of the House, and presides over the election of the Speaker at the beginning of each Parliament. The same term is used for the equivalent position in the United States House of Representatives.
Finland
Member | Became oldest member |
---|---|
Iisakki Hoikka | 1907, 1908 |
John Hedberg | 1908, 1909, 1909 , 1913 |
Leo Mechelin | 1910, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913 |
John Hedberg | 1914 |
Axel Lille | 1917 |
Rabbe Wrede | 1917 , 1918, 1918 |
Wilhelmi Malmivaara | 1919 |
Artur Wuorimaa | 1920, 1921 |
Waldemar Bergroth | 1918, 1922 – 1926 |
Juho Torppa | 1927, 1928, 1929 |
Anders Forsberg | 1929 , 1930 |
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud | 1930, 1931 |
K. J. Ståhlberg | 1932, 1932 |
Matti Paasivuori | 1933, 1934, 1935, 1935 |
Miina Sillanpää | 1936 – 1947 |
Akseli Brander | 1948 – 1950 |
Väinö Tanner | 1951 – 1953 |
Matti Lahtela | 1954 – 1957 |
Väinö Tanner | 1958 – 1961 |
Raino Hallberg | 1962 – 1965 |
Kustaa Tiitu | 1966 – 1969 |
Rafael Paasio | 1970 – 1975 |
Evald Häggblom | 1975 , 1976 |
V. J. Sukselainen | 1976, 1977, 1978 |
Mikko Kaarna | 1979 – 1982 |
Tuure Junnila | 1983 – 1986 |
Johannes Virolainen | 1987 – 1989 |
Tuure Junnila | 1990 |
Maunu Kohijoki | 1991 – 1994 |
Martti Tiuri | 1995 – 2002 |
Kalevi Lamminen | 2003 – 2006 |
Claes Andersson | 2007 – 2008 |
Jacob Söderman[8] | 2008[9]- 2009[10]-2010 |
Kauko Tuupainen | 2011 – 2013 |
Jörn Donner | 2014 |
Pertti Salolainen | 2015 – |
Germany
Starting with the Frankfurter Nationalversammlung (Frankfurt Parliament) of 1848, all German parliaments had a father of the House, usually called Alterspräsident (President by right of age). This tradition was continued into the Weimar Republic and, after being discontinued in Nazi Germany, was resumed by the present Parliament (Bundestag), whose rules of procedure mandate that the father of the house presides over the Parliament (Bundestag) at the start of each legislative period.
In accordance with tradition, the Alterspräsident first ascertains himself that he is the oldest member of the Bundestag by stating his date of birth and asking if anyone is present who was born before this date. If no older member of the Bundestag is present (which is usually the case) he will formally declare that he indeed is the Alterspräsident and will start proceedings.
As acting President of the Bundestag (Bundestagspräsident) he delivers the first programmatic speech and supervises the election of the President of the Bundestag. He then yields his power to the newly elected President of the Bundestag, who will in turn supervise the elections of the Vice Presidents of the Bundestag.
The rules of order of the Bundestag also state that the Alterspräsident shall act as President of the Bundestag at any given time during a legislative period, if the whole Presidium (i.e. the President and the Vice Presidents of the Bundestag) is altogether unable to perform its duties.
As the Alterspräsident's opening speech usually draws a certain amount of public attention, the position has recently attracted controversy, when the Party of Democratic Socialism (the succcesor of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany) obtained the position by including aged independents (Stefan Heym in 1994, Fred Gebhardt in 1998) in their party lists. In 2017, the Bundestag changed its rules of procedure to have the member with the longest service in the Bundestag serve as father of the house, rather than the oldest member.[11]
Bundestag | Name | Term | Parliamentary party |
Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1949–1953 | Paul Löbe (1875–1967) |
1949–1953 | SPD | longtime Reichstagspräsident during the Weimar Republic |
2 | 1953–1957 | Marie Elisabeth Lüders (1878–1966) |
1953–1957 | FDP | stood in for Konrad Adenauer, the oldest member, who refused the position due to his position as Chancellor |
3 | 1957–1961 | Marie Elisabeth Lüders | 1957–1961 | FDP | |
4 | 1961–1965 | Robert Pferdmenges (1880–1962) |
1961–1962 | CDU | |
Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) |
1963–1965 | CDU | assumed the position after his resignation as Chancellor[citation needed] | ||
5 | 1965–1969 | Konrad Adenauer | 1965–1967 | CDU | died in 1967 |
William Borm (born 1895) |
1967–1969 | FDP | |||
6 | 1969–1972 | William Borm | 1969–1972 | FDP | |
7 | 1972–1976 | Ludwig Erhard (1897-1977) |
1972–1976 | CDU | |
8 | 1976–1980 | Ludwig Erhard | 1976–1977 | CDU | died in 1977 |
Johann Baptist Gradl (born 1904) |
1977–1980 | CDU | |||
9 | 1980–1983 | Herbert Wehner (1906-1990) |
1980–1983 | SPD | |
10 | 1983–1987 | Willy Brandt (1913-1992) |
1983–1987 | SPD | stood in for Egon Franke, who refused the position |
11 | 1987–1990 | Willy Brandt | 1987–1990 | SPD | |
12 | 1990–1994 | Willy Brandt | 1990–1992 | SPD | died in 1992 |
Alfred Dregger (1920-2002) |
1992–1994 | CDU | |||
13 | 1994–1998 | Stefan Heym (1913-2001) |
1994–1995 | PDS | resigned his seat in 1995 |
Alfred Dregger | 1995–1998 | CDU | |||
14 | 1998–2002 | Fred Gebhardt (1928–2000) |
1998–2000 | PDS | died in 2000 |
Hans-Eberhard Urbaniak (born 1929) |
2000–2002 | SPD | |||
15 | 2002–2005 | Otto Schily (born 1932) |
2002–2005 | SPD | |
16 | 2005–2009 | Otto Schily | 2005–2009 | SPD | |
17 | 2009–2013 | Heinz Riesenhuber (born 1935) |
2009–2013 | CDU | |
18 | 2013–2017 | Heinz Riesenhuber | 2013–2017 | CDU | |
19 | 2017–present | Hermann Otto Solms (born 1940 and member of parliament for 33 years, 1980-2013 and since 2017) |
FDP | The first father of the house under the changed rules of procedure. Stood in for Wolfgang Schäuble (member of parliament for 45 years), who was subsequently elected President of the Bundestag. |
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, there is no such term as "Father of the House". Instead, the longest-serving member was termed the Senior Unofficial Member and was the highest-ranking unofficial member of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council until the title was abolished during 1995 and 1992 respectively.
After the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong, James To became the de facto longest serving member of the Legislative Council since 2016 after several members who had been served since the 1st Legislative Council retired.
Hungary
In Hungary, the term refers to the oldest member of the National Assembly (previously House of Representatives, the lower house). Before the open session, the senior chairperson and junior notaries review the mandates of all the elected MPs in addition to their own. He or she presides over the newly elected parliament until the appointment of the officials.
Member | Party | Entered Parliament | Became oldest member | Left House | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Géza Malasits | MSZDP | 1924 | 1945 | 1948 † | |
MDP | |||||
Dezső Pattantyús-Ábrahám | FMDP | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | |
style="background-color:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color" | | Ferenc Harrer | Ind. | 1949 | 1949 | 1969 † |
Janka Stark | MSZMP | 1958 | 1969 | 1975 | |
László Pesta | MSZMP | 1949 | 1975 | 1990 | |
style="background-color:Template:Hungarian Democratic Forum/meta/color" | | Kálmán Kéri | MDF | 1990 | 1990 | 1994 † |
style="background-color:Template:Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party/meta/color" | | Vince Vörös | FKGP | 1990 | 1994 | 1994 |
style="background-color:Template:Christian Democratic People's Party (Hungary)/meta/color" | | László Varga | KDNP | 1994 | 1994 | 2003 † |
style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color" | | Fidesz | ||||
style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color" | | János Horváth | Fidesz | 1998 | 2003 | 2014 |
style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color" | | Béla Turi-Kovács | Fidesz | 1998 | 2014 | Incumbent |
Israel
In the beginning of each Knesset, before the election of a permanent speaker, there is a temporary speaker. In the past it was the oldest member of Knesset, now it is the longest-serving member. Michael Eitan is the most recent Knesset member to serve in this capacity, doing so from February 24 - March 30, 2010. In 2013 it was Benyamin Ben-Eliezer who had this position, and during 2015, it was Amir Peretz.
Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, the term Father of the Dáil is an unofficial title applied to the longest-serving Teachta Dála (TD) in Dáil Éireann. The current Father is the former Taoiseach and Fine Gael party leader, Enda Kenny, TD, since the retirement of Séamus Pattison at the 2007 general election. On a number of occasions two or more people have shared the position of Father of the Dáil.
Malaysia
In Malaysia the term "Father of the House" is rarely used. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who was elected during 1974, has been the longest serving MP in the Dewan Rakyat. He is also the current oldest serving MP aged 87 years, 1 month.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, the term Father or Mother of the House, as an unofficial title, designates the longest-continuously serving MP of the House of Representatives. The Father of the House has no official role in Parliament. Former Cabinet Minister Nick Smith succeeded former Prime Minister Bill English as Father of the House when the latter resigned in March 2018, having served continuously since the 1990 general election.[12]
In New Zealand's first election of 1853, the Bay of Islands electorate became the first to declare the election of a successful candidate, electing Hugh Carleton unopposed. In the subsequent General Assembly of 1854, Carleton liked to be known as the "Father of the House".[citation needed]
Norway
Norway doesn't have such a tradition. In most cases the Stortingspresident or a member of the presidium from the previous term are asked to lead the proceedings until a new President is elected.
Russia
Traditionally when a new Russian parliament is formed the eldest deputy opens and manages the first session until a chairman is elected. In the history of the post-Soviet Dumas these were:
- 1993 Georgy Lukava - Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
- 1995 Grigory Galaziy - Our Home – Russia
- 1999 Yegor Ligachev - Communist Party of the Russian Federation
- 2003 Valentin Varennikov - Rodina
- 2007 Zhores Alferov - Communist Party of the Russian Federation
- 2011 Vladimir Dolgikh - United Russia
- 2011 Zhores Alferov - Communist Party of the Russian Federation
- 2016 Zhores Alferov - Communist Party of the Russian Federation
Serbia
In the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, the oldest MP serves as the Acting Speaker presiding over the constitutive session, before the Speaker is elected.
- 2001 Zaharije Trnavčević - Democratic Party
- 2004 Velimir Simonović - Democratic Party of Serbia
- 2007 Borka Vučić - Socialist Party of Serbia
- 2008 Jovan Krkobabić - Party of United Pensioners of Serbia
- 2012 Zaharije Trnavčević - Rich Serbia
- 2014 Milan Korać - Party of United Pensioners of Serbia
- 2016 Dragoljub Mićunović - Democratic Party
Singapore
Until his death on 23 March 2015, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was the longest serving Member of Parliament (Tanjong Pagar) and thus the Father of the House.[13] As of April 2015, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong is Father of the House, as the longest serving MP (from the district named Marine Parade).[13]
Sweden
In Sweden the Riksdagsordningen law states that the member of the Riksdag who has held his elected seat for the longest shall be the Ålderspresident, which translates to President by age. The Ålderspresident acts as speaker of the Riksdag after each election, before the Speaker of the Riksdag has been elected. The Ålderspresident also acts as speaker in case of hindrance on behalf of the Speaker and all three Deputy Speakers.
Members of the Riksdag who has held the position of Ålderspresident:
- Tage Erlander (first elected 1932) 1971–1973
- Torsten Nilsson (first elected 1941) 1973–1976
- Henry Allard (first elected 1945) 1976–1979
- Gunnar Sträng (first elected 1946) 1979–1985
- Ingemund Bengtsson (first elected 1951) 1985–1988
- Stig Alemyr (first elected 1957) 1988–1994
- Ingvar Carlsson (first elected 1965) 1994–1996
- Börje Nilsson (first elected 1965) 1996–1998
- Jan Bergqvist (first elected 1969) 1998–2002
- Anders Björck (first elected 1969) 2002–2003
- Bo Lundgren (first elected 1976) 2003–2004
- Lennart Nilsson (first elected 1976) 2004–2006
- Per Westerberg (first elected 1979) 2006–2014
- Göran Hägglund (first elected 1991) 2014–2015
- Krister Örnfjäder (first elected 1993) 2015–2018
- Beatrice Ask (first elected 1988) 2018–present
See also
- Oldest Member (European Parliament)
- Baby of the House
- Dean of the House (Canada)
- Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Father of the Dáil
- List of longest-serving members of the Australian House of Representatives
- President pro tempore of the United States Senate
References
- ^ "Father of the House: House of Commons Background Paper". House of Commons Library. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- ^ a b c "The Father of the House" (PDF). Factsheet M3. London: House of Commons Information Office. March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b Moss, Stephen (2 May 2015). "Labour's Dennis Skinner at 83: 'Father of the House? You must be joking'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "The Speaker" (PDF). Westminster, United Kingdom: House of Commons Information Office. September 2003. pp. 4–5.
- ^ "Members Sworn". Hansard. Hansard Digitisation Project. 30 June 1970. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
- ^ "Members Sworn". Hansard. Hansard Digitisation Project. 1 July 1970. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ "Election of Speaker". Hansard. UK: Commons. 13 June 2017.
- ^ Söderman toimi puhemiesvaalin toimittajana, koska Andersson oli sairauslomalla; Hs.fi: Sauli Niinistö jatkaa eduskunnan puhemiehenä. Viitattu 24.4.2015.
- ^ Eduskunta: Täysistunnon pöytäkirja PTK 1/2008 vp
- ^ Eduskunta: Täysistunnon pöytäkirja PTK 1/2009 vp
- ^ "Deutscher Bundestag - I. Wahl des Präsidenten, der Stellvertreter und Schriftführer".
- ^ Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has been an MP for longer than Smith, but his terms have not been consecutive. He has served since 1979, but was not a Member of Parliament from 1981 to 1984, nor from 2008 to 2011.
- ^ a b "Pressrun.net". www.pressrun.net.
External links
- Father of the House: House of Commons Background Paper, House of Commons Library, 2016