Presidium of the Arab Congress

The Presidium of the Arab Congress (Arabic: رئاسة المؤتمر العربي ri’āsat al-mu’tamr al-‘arabī) is a semi-permanent nine-member council elected by both chambers of the Arab Congress (the legislative branch of the Arab Union's federal government). The Presidium elects from amongst itself a chairperson, who is designated President of the Arab Congress (currently Abed Ayyoush).

The Presidium of the Arab Congress is responsible for opening and moderating all joint sessions of the Arab Congress (sessions including both chambers simultaneously) including joint plenary sessions (sessions in which all members of both chambers are present), with the Presidium chairperson acting as speaker, similar to the president of one of the chambers during a single-chamber session, who during a joint session speaks on behalf of their chamber to the Presidium.

Elected at a joint plenary session of the Arab Congress, the Presidium of the Arab Congress functions as the highest legislative authority in the Arab Union in between joint plenary sessions of the Arab Congress; all legislative proceedings and resolutions are officially provisional until ratified or vetoed by the Arab Congress at subsequent joint plenary sessions, during which the Presidium's activities since the last joint plenary session are scrutinised. Joint plenary sessions must take place at least annually, although often occur twice a year or more due to urgent developments requiring quick resolution.

After reviewing the Presidium's activities since the last joint plenary session and either ratifying or vetoing its resolutions, the current Presidium is dissolved by the Arab Congress and a new one elected until the next joint plenary session (the new Presidium can consist of the same membership as the last one, a mixture of old and new members, or a completely new membership). Immediately following the formation of a new Presidium of the Arab Congress, the Presidium membership appoints one of its members as chairperson, who is responsible for leading the Presidium of the Arab Congress as well as liaising between both chambers of congress outside of joint sessions. Presidium membership is not open to the elected president (speaker) of either one of the chambers of the Arab Congress, nor to members of the federal government's executive or judicial branches, the former of which ensures the Presidium's impartiality concerning the two chambers and the latter the legislative branch's independence of both the executive and judicial branches of government. Members of the Presidium are instead drawn from the ranks of regular sitting members of either chamber of the Arab Congress, who upon becoming a member of the Presidium must then vacate their seat, which subsequently becomes open for the election of a new legislator to fill said seat.

The Presidium of the Arab Congress has its official office at Nasser Hall in the borough of Markez Asimeh in central Nasser City; the same building also features a massive auditorium, which has been used to hold all joint sessions and joint plenary sessions of the Arab Congress since completion of the building's construction in 1996.