PART TWO
THE HOUSE OF THE FEDERATION
Article 61
Members of the House of the Federation
1. The House of the Federation is composed of representatives of Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples.
2. Each Nation, Nationality and People shall be represented in the House of the
Federation by at least one member . Each Nation or Nationality shall be
represented by one additional representative for each one million of its
population.
3. Members of the House of the Federation shall be elected by the State
Councils. The State Councils may themselves elect representatives to the
House of the Federation, or they may hold elections to have the
representatives elected by the people directly.
Article 62
Powers and Functions of the House of the Federation
1. The House has the power to interpret the Constitution.
2. It shall organize the Council of Constitutional Inquiry.
3. It shall, in accordance with the Constitution, decide on issues relating to the
rights of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples to self-determination, including
the right to secession.
4. It shall promote the equality of the Peoples of Ethiopia enshrined in the
Constitution and promote and consolidate their unity based on their mutual
consent.
5. It shall exercise the powers concurrently entrusted to it and to the House of
Peoples’ Representatives.
6. It shall strive to find solutions to disputes or misunderstandings that may arise
between States.
7. It shall determine the division of revenues derived from joint Federal and State
tax sources and the subsidies that the Federal Government may provide to the
States.
8. It shall determine civil matters which require the enactment of laws by the
House of Peoples’ Representatives.
9. It shall order Federal intervention if any State, in violation of this Constitution,
endangers the constitutional order.
10. It shall establish permanent and ad hoc committees.
11. It shall elect the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House, and it shall
adopt rules of procedure and internal administration.