The term we are analyzing is normally used in the context of politics, but also in those circumstances in which a group of people debate different proposals.In this way, a motion is a petition or request that someone presents to a group to be considered.
In other words, it is an initiative that seeks to be recognized as a norm or as a law.
Motions can be made in very different contexts: neighborhood councils, board meetings of entities, parents' associations or at the parliamentary level. In any case, these types of proposals have a formal nature and are generally put to a vote among the people who form a group.
Different modalities
If a motion is a formal proposal with some purpose, it is worth remembering its different versions or modalities. A motion can be presented as a main proposal, as an amendment to a previous motion, in connection with the procedure of a meeting, for the purpose of postponing a matter, or simply to record a specific subject.
The motion of censure and the question of confidence are two mechanisms to control the government's action and are contemplated in the Spanish Constitution.
The motion of censure is a mechanism that can be implemented by members of the Congress of Deputies
Its purpose is evident: that the president of the government abandons his responsibility by not having enough support. For a political group with parliamentary representation to raise the motion of censure, it is necessary to have a number of prior endorsements, specifically a minimum of 10% of all Congress deputies.
If this initial requirement is met, the motion of censure is submitted to a vote among the representatives of Congress. For it to be finally approved, it is necessary that the motion have the support of the absolute majority of the members of the Chamber. If the motion of censure presented gets the necessary support, whoever proposed it will become the new president of the nation.
The question of confidence is an initiative of the president of the government and usually deals with some aspect of his political program or of national interest. For the initiative to be approved, it must have the backing of the simple majority of the Chamber of Deputies. Thus, if the issue of trust has sufficient support, the president and his government can continue to exercise power and if it does not have sufficient support, the president and his government must leave their positions.
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