SECTION 16

(1) At the beginning of each legislative year, the National Assembly shall meet as of right in ordinary session under the conditions laid down by law. (2) Each year, the National Assembly shall hold 3 (three) ordinary sessions, each lasting not more than 30 (thirty) days. (a) At the opening of its first ordinary session, the National Assembly shall elect its President and Bureau members. (b) The National Assembly shall, during one of its sessions, adopt the State budget. Where such budget is not adopted before the end of the current financial year, the President of the Republic shall be empowered to extend the previous budget by one twelfth until a new one is passed. (3) The National Assembly shall meet in extraordinary session for not more than 15 (fifteen) days on a specific agenda and at the request of the President of the Republic or of one-third of its members. The extraordinary session shall wind up as soon as the agenda for which it was convened is exhausted.