A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly-elected member of a legislature or parliament.
Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country. In many Westminster system governments, there is a convention that maiden speeches should be relatively uncontroversial, often consisting of a general statement of the politician's beliefs and background rather than a partisan comment on a current topic. This convention is not always followed, however; for example the maiden speeches of Pauline Hanson in the Australian House of Representatives and Richard Nixon in the United States House of Representatives broke the tradition. There is also a strong convention in some countries that maiden speeches should not be subjected to interruption or interjection and should not be attacked or dismissed by subsequent speakers.[citation needed] Another convention in the UK House of Commons is that a Member of Parliament will include tribute in a maiden speech to previous incumbents of their seat.
External links
- Sample speeches
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