what is the jury of honor and when is it established – Corriere.it

It is not the task of the Speaker of the Chamber, nor of the Vice-Presidents, to enter into the political merit of the statements made in this Chamber by the deputies. The tones and words used in the context of political dialectics must, however, always be maintained in the context of mutual respect: said the Speaker of the Chamber, Lorenzo Fontana, giving his assent to the establishment of a jury honor after the tussle in the Chamber between the FdI deputy, Giovanni Donzelli, and the dem.

But what is the jury of honor and in which cases is it established? Article 58 of the Chamber of Deputies explains it: When, during a discussion, a deputy is accused of facts that damage his reputation, he can ask the Speaker of the Chamber to appoint a Commission which will judge the legitimacy of the accusation: the Article 58 of the House Rules of Procedure.

Three conditions are required to proceed with the nomination: the personal and direct accusation of one member of parliament against another during a discussion, the attribution of specific facts and not therefore the expression of a judgment or opinion; and finally the possibility that the Commission of inquiry – which does not have coercive powers – can acquire elements of knowledge in the parliamentary sphere or through spontaneous testimonies of the interested parties.

It is not a tool that is used frequently. In the last twenty years he was nominated for Benito Paolone of AN in 2004 and for Franco Barbato of Italia dei valori in 2010 and 2012. Sometimes the jur is avoided thanks to the accuser’s apology, as in December 2009 when Maurizio Paniz of Forza Italia he took a step back with Marco Minniti.

The regulation of the Chamber also establishes the times. The Speaker of the Chamber sets a deadline for presenting his conclusions to the Chamber, which takes note of them without debate or vote. There are also other possible sanctions: if a member of parliament uses inappropriate words (article 59) he can be recalled by the president, or he can be expelled (article 60) if he is recalled a second time or if he insults one or more colleagues or members of the government.