Chamber of Deputies meets in midsummer: the integrity law is rewritten after the Constitutional Court ruling

The Chamber of Deputies returns to the plenary in the middle of summer, and the main reason has a name and a number: the integrity law, sent back to Parliament by the Constitutional Court only a week earlier. Decision no. 11 of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, published in Official Gazette of Romania no. 697 of 21 August 2026, convenes the plenary in extraordinary session on 24 August 2026, at 12:00, for the period 24 to 26 August. The first item on the agenda is the re-examination of the law amending several pieces of legislation in the field of integrity, following CCR Decision no. 883 of 17 August 2026, which declared the publication of financial interest statements unconstitutional.

The legal basis for the convocation is the same as in the Senate: Article 66 paragraphs (2) and (3) of the Constitution, plus Article 84 paragraphs (8) and (10) of the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies. The single article of the decision sets the day and the hour of the opening, while the annex contains the draft agenda and the draft work programme, both allowing physical and online attendance.

The agenda has four items. The integrity law (PL-x 530/2026) is an organic law, debated under the urgent procedure, with a joint report from the Committee on Constitutionality and the Legal Committee, and the Chamber of Deputies is the first Chamber notified. Items 2 and 3 are two separate proposals concerning Article 248 paragraph (4) of Pre-University Education Law No 198/2023: PL-x 536/2026 postpones the deadline laid down in that article, while PL-x 537/2026 amends it. Both were presented to the Standing Bureau on 21 August 2026, and the constitutional deadline for debate and the final vote falls on 16 October 2026. Item 4 is a general one: legislative initiatives already adopted by the Senate as the first Chamber notified.

What it changes in practice

The first effect is that the sittings reopen. Outside the ordinary sessions, the Chamber of Deputies cannot debate and cannot vote. The decision creates the framework for two plenary sittings with a final vote, on Monday from 16:00 and on Wednesday from 10:00.

The second effect concerns the integrity law. When the Constitutional Court upholds an objection before promulgation, Parliament is required, under Article 147 paragraph (2) of the Constitution, to re-examine the provisions found unconstitutional and to bring them into line with the Court’s decision. Re-examination is not optional and cannot be avoided by withdrawing the law.

The third effect is conditional. Item 1, as well as items 2 and 3, all carry the note that they are debated subject to the report, respectively the joint report, being filed. If the committees do not file their report before the plenary opens, that item does not reach a vote, and the session may end without any result on that text.

The fourth effect reaches schools. The two proposals under items 2 and 3 work on the same Article 248 paragraph (4) of Pre-University Education Law No 198/2023, under the urgent procedure, less than two weeks before the school year begins. The Chamber of Deputies is the first Chamber notified, so the text adopted here goes on to the Senate, which takes the final decision.

The fifth effect concerns the timetable. The parliamentary committees work on all three days, in slots set out in the annex: Monday between 12:30 and 16:00 and, after the final vote, until 18:00, Tuesday between 8:30 and 12:00 and between 13:00 and 18:00, Wednesday between 8:30 and 10:00 and between 13:00 and 18:00.

What has changed compared with the previous situation

Until this decision, the integrity law was stuck. It had been adopted by Parliament, challenged before the Constitutional Court and declared partly unconstitutional on 17 August 2026. Without the convocation of the extraordinary session, bringing it into line with the Court’s decision would have waited for the ordinary session in September.

The second change is one of pace in education. The two proposals concerning Article 248 paragraph (4) were presented to the Standing Bureau on 21 August and enter the plenary on 24 or 26 August, therefore within five days of being presented at most. The constitutional deadline would have allowed them to wait until 16 October.

The third change concerns the order between the two chambers. On all three texts, the Chamber of Deputies is the first Chamber notified, while in the Senate the extraordinary session held on the same days has on its agenda the item „Legislative initiatives received from the Chamber of Deputies”. The two chambers are thus synchronised so that each can take over from the other in the same week.

What does not change is the limit of the session. The agenda in the annex remains a draft, and its approval is itself the first item of the sitting on Monday, from 12:00. Until that vote, the list is not final.

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