Right of petition

Last revision 01/19/2021

The right to petition is a fundamental right exercised by all natural or legal persons, regardless of their nationality, as established in article 29 of the Constitution and developed in Organic Law 4/2001. This law may be exercised both individually and collectively, and consists of the faculty to submit petitions to public authorities, either to make them aware of certain facts or to request their intervention, or both at the same time. However, this right does not apply to petitions for whose satisfaction the legal system has established specific procedures, or those that are already being addressed by a parliamentary or administrative procedure or by legal proceedings.

In the event of a petition being submitted to the Senate, os articles 77 of the Constitution and sections 192 to 195 of the Senate Standing Orders, regulate the exercise of this fundamental right.

Written petitions must be submitted including the name of the petitioner or petitioners, nationality and address for the purpose of notifications, the addressee of the petition as well as the subject.

A form is provided for the submission of petitions, although its use is not mandatory, with petitions accepted in any written format as long as the aforementioned details are included.

In the event of using the form, once completed it must be printed, signed and either delivered in person to the General Senate Register or sent by ordinary mail.

Once submitted, petitions will be assessed by the Petitions Committee.

The Report, whose drafting is required for each ordinary period of Sittings, and which is subject to consideration by the Senate Plenary Sitting, will set out the decision adopted with regard to each petition, including, where appropriate, the authority to which the petition was referred for consultation. Any petition responses received will be forwarded to their petitioners.

Access to Petitions Committee Reports