President of Omerica
| President of Omerica
Président d’Omérique | |
|---|---|
 Presidential standard of Omerica | |
| Style | His/Her Excellency |
| Residence | Palace of the Republic, Charlottetown |
| Appointer | Parliament of Omerica |
| Term length | Seven years, non-renewable |
| Constituting instrument | Basic Law of Omerica |
| First holder |
Ronald Atterberry (President of the Confederation) Arthur Bates (President of the Commonwealth) |
| Salary | ƒ776,000 (NS$700,000) per year |
| Website | president.gov.om |
| Commonwealth of Omerica |
 This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Omerica |
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Executive
Judiciary
Foreign policy
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The President of Omerica (French: Président d’Omérique) is the ceremonial head of state of the Commonwealth of Omerica and its highest officer of state. The President acts as the personification of the state and its unity, the defender of national independence and the guarantor of constitutional governance.
The President is elected by a joint sitting of the Federal Parliament for a single non-renewable term of seven years, traditionally coming from a background of civic service and respecting alternation between anglophones and francophones. During their term in office, the President must suspend partisan affiliations and act above party politics. This distance from partisan politics thus allows the President to influence public debate voice criticism, offer suggestions and make proposals in matters of state.
History
Role
Omerica operates under a parliamentary system, which renders the President a largely ceremonial figure. The President nonetheless holds a number of influential reserve powers, most notable being the power to appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister of Omerica. However, by convention, the Prime Minister holds office while commanding the confidence of the House of Representatives and customarily seeks a vote of confidence before accepting appointment, forcing the President to choose a Prime Minister acceptable to the majority of the House.
Per the Basic Law of Omerica, which formally constitutes the basis of the organisation of the institutions of state, the President is empowered to:
- Name the Prime Minister;
- Name the Cabinet of Omerica on the advice of the Prime Minister;
- Name members of the Supreme Court of Omerica and other judges, subject to confirmation by the Senate;
- Dissolve the Parliament of Omerica and call snap elections;
- Convoke an extraordinary session of Parliament;
- Grant pardons, commutations and compassionate release to convicted criminals;
- Promulgate Acts of Parliament and government decrees;
- Refer treaties or laws to popular referendum or request that the Parliament take another reading;
- Act as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth Defence Forces;
- Declare a state of emergency, provided he/she explains the reason for the declaration to Parliament;
- Request that Parliament declare war on a foreign state, government or other organisation;
- Negotiate, sign and ratify treaties and international conventions, subject to approval by Parliament;
- Receive foreign ambassadors and plenipotentiaries;
- Recognise and revoke recognition of foreign states and governments; and
- Award all state honours.
Except for powers that are subject to the approval of Parliament or are specifically designated to be exercisable at the sole discretion of the head of state (namely awarding of state honours and recognition of foreign states and governments), all decisions of the President in matters of state must be countersigned by the relevant government minister.
Election
The President is chosen in indirect elections every seven years. Candidates must be natural-born or naturalised citizens who have lived in Omerica for at least ten years, are at least 35 years old at the date of the election and are in possession of full civil and political rights. Additionally, candidates cannot have previously served as President except in an interim capacity and or been an active or reserve member of the Commonwealth Defence Forces within ten years of the date of their election.
The election of the President is conducted in a joint sitting of Parliament presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and takes place by secret ballot. A candidate must receive an absolute majority (125 of 248) of votes to be elected, with successive rounds of voting taking place until a candidate is elected. Upon election, the President-elect must take an oath to defend the constitution and sovereignty of the Commonwealth before Parliament; refusal to swear the oath or taking the oath with a reservation voids the election and requires Parliament to elect a new candidate.
Succession and incapacity
Upon the death or resignation of the President, the Speaker of the House of Councillors acts as interim President until a new election can be called. Upon a vacancy in the office, a new election must be organised no sooner than forty-five and no more than ninety days after the vacancy occurs. During this period, an interim President may not dissolve Parliament, call any referenda or initiate any legislation or treaties. Tobias Solberg is the only Speaker to have been called on to serve as the interim President, doing so after the assassination of Just Cartier on 9 May 1962.
List of Presidents
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