The president is elected among the members of the Congress and is, after the king and the prime minister, the highest authority in the Kingdom of Spain.

The current office was established by the Spanish Constitution of 1978, however, the position has a tradition of more than 200 years, since its creation in 1810 as President of the Cortes of Cádiz.

In addition the Speaker chairs the chamber and guarantees the opposition's rights but does not give up their political affiliation and may participate in debates.

The second model is an individual speakership in which the holder of the office is the sole guarantor of the chamber’s independence and privileges, of which the archetype is the Speaker at Westminster.

[9] All deputy speakers are elected using the single non-transferable vote method which ensures plurality, i.e. representation of the largest parties in the Congress.