Article 73: Members of the Government shall individually take the following oath of office before the President of the Republic. “I do solemnly swear by Almighty God to respect the Constitution and the laws of the Republic and to execute them, and I swear upon my honour to work honestly to discharge my responsibilities and not to damage my reputation and to preserve the public properties that may be put at my disposal. God is my witness”. Article 74: Each member of the Government shall de jure submit an inventory of his/her private properties before the President of the Supreme Court, and each one of them shall do the same upon the termination of his/her functions. Chapter 2: Legislative Powers Article 75: The Sahrawi National Council shall be the legislative body of the country; it shall be vested with the powers to supervise the State organs and institutions and shall have sovereign authority to prepare draft laws and to pass them. - The National Council, within its constitutional prerogatives, shall also exercise the responsibility of financial control over all fixed and movable public assets pertaining to the State. - In case of misappropriation of public assets, the President of the National Council shall refer to the Minister of Justice all cases of misappropriation to be prosecuted in accordance with the law. Article 76: The National Council shall approve: - The Government’s annual programme and general operating budget. - International conventions and treaties. Article 77: The National Council shall have 53 (fifty three) members. Article 78: A new National Council shall be formed after the Congress during an interval period of no more than 90 days in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution. Article 79: Members of the National Council shall be elected by direct and secret suffrage once between two Congresses. Article 80: Candidates for membership in the National Council shall fulfil the following requirements: - To be of Sahrawi nationality; - Without any criminal record; - To be of no less than 25 years; - To have a university degree in addition to five years of work or a professional experience of no less than five years in one or more of the following jobs: - Member of the chiefs of staff of the army or in a senior position; - Member of a regional bureau or in a senior position; 9