Palau National Congress


has a bicameral legislature, the Palau National Congress , consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Palau, which both sit at the capitol complex in Ngerulmud, Melekeok State. The House of Delegates has 16 members, each serving four-year terms in single-seat constituencies. The Senate has 13 members, also serving four-year terms in multi-seat constituencies. In the last elections, held on 1 November 2016, only non-partisans were elected; no political parties exist.
The congress is called Olbiil Era Kelulau or “House of Whispered Decisions or Strategies." When it was founded, there were 18 senators. That number of them was changed in 1984 to 14. The number of senators changed again in 2000, when it was reduced drastically to 9. In 2008, it was raised once again, to 13.
In 2018, the Senate President was Hokkons Baules, and Speaker was Sabino Anastacio.

Latest election

Housed at the Palau National Congress, the Palau Congressional Library was founded on August 18, 1981. Headed as of 1996 by Congressional Librarian Harry Besebes, it has a 3000 item collection, with annual accessions of 350. The library employs 2 staff members, both professional librarians.