The elected representatives of the Provincial Assembly of Ecuador have just put in place an edict to ensure the social security of provincial deputies with a view to the granting of a retirement pension. The pension will cover the duration of their life thanks to the creation of “Social security for parliamentarians” (Sesopa), a structure which will make it possible to retain 10% of the emoluments of elected officials, housed in a bank account. The project was adopted during a plenary session on 21 June.
This retirement pension is part of the special social security scheme for parliamentarians covering certain social risks such as illness, death, risks linked to the exercise of the parliamentary mandate, old age or retirement pension or maternity. An edict relating to the social security of provincial deputies with a view to the granting of a retirement pension which covers the duration of his life had also been voted in 1988.
This initiative aims to allow provincial deputies to have a comfortable retirement at the end of their career. It also respects the texts of national laws on the subject. Indeed, article 83 paragraph 7 of the internal regulations of the Provincial Assembly provides that, during the legislature, the Provincial Assembly draws up and adopts an edict relating to the social security of provincial deputies with a view to granting a retirement pension that covers the duration of his life. Thus, thanks to the adoption of this edict, the provincial deputies of Ecuador will be entitled to a pension until the end of their lives.
However, this measure divides public opinion. Indeed, some Congolese believe that provincial deputies should not benefit from social benefits when a large part of the population does not have access to basic health services and lives in poverty. Others, on the other hand, consider that provincial deputies have the right to a decent pension and that it is necessary to insure them against the risks associated with the exercise of their parliamentary mandate.