The Iceland year-book - 01.01.1926, Blaðsíða 59

and is composed of 42 members, of whom 14 sit in
the Upper and 28 in the Lower House. Of the 42
members 32 are elected for a term of 4 years by
universal suffrage in 24 one and two member
constituencies; 4 members are elected by propor-
tional representation in the capital, also for a
term of 4 years, while 6 are elected in the same
way by the whole country as one constituency,
but for a term of 8 years. These 6 members sit in
the Upper House together with 8 elected by both
Houses in a joint sitting from among the remain-
ing 36 members. All members receive a fixed pay-
ment per day as long as the session lasts; and
travelling expenses besides.
All Icelandic subjects, men and women, of
blameless reputation have the right to vote,
provided they have lived in the country during the
previous 5 years and are not indebted for poor
relief. For the right to vote at elections in the
constituencies (as well as at municipal and
parochial elections) the age minimum is 25 years,
and at the national, or all-country, elections 35
years. The conditions for eligibility are the same,
except that the judges in the Supreme Court are
not eligible.
For a regular session the Althing assembles in
February every year. The budget must be opened
in the Lower House, but other bills may be
introduced in either House. The Ministers have
free access to both Houses, even when they are not
members of the Althing, but they can only vote in
the House of which they are members. They are
responsible to the Althing, which may impeach
them in matters relating to the discharge of their
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