President of the Federal Republic of Concadia

The President of the Federal Republic of Concadia, more commonly referred to as the President of Concadia, is the Head of State of the Federal Republic of Concadia. The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Concadian Armed Forces.

Article_ of the Constitution of Concadia establishes the office of the President as well as their powers and duties.

Her Excellency Catherine Jones is the 66th President of the Federal Republic of Concadia

Powers
Under the Constitution, the President has the power to:


 * Appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister
 * Approve appointments to the Cabinet on the advice of the Prime Minister
 * Appoint members of the judiciary on the advice of the Independent Judicial Appointments Committee
 * Appoint diplomats and ambassadors following confirmation by the House of Senators
 * Approve and veto bills passed by the Concadian Parliament
 * Declare War

Many of the powers listed above are exercised on the advice of the Prime Minister or the Executive Council. The veto power of the President is limited. They have the right to veto any bills they wish, but that veto can be overturned if a super-majority is achieved in both Houses of Parliament.

The President’s power to declare war is not unilateral. In a time of crisis, the President can declare war without the approval of the Houses of Parliament. However, following an amendment to the Constitution in 1864, when there is no direct threat to the citizens and/or territory of the Republic itself, the President must have the approval of a super-majority in both Houses of Parliament before declaring war. Any declaration of war in a time of crisis (without the initial approval of Parliament) must gain Parliamentary approval within 4 weeks of the declaration.

Leadership
As head of state, the President has the right to receive foreign diplomats and foreign heads of state/government. The Constitution places no limits on what the President can discuss with foreign diplomats, although it is traditional for Presidents to not interfere in international diplomacy.

The President is not the leader of their political party, that is reserved for the Prime Minister, as the President does not have the power to set a legislative agenda or initiate legislation. However, the President does hold significant status within their party, and will often make speeches at party conferences.

Internationally, the President does not represent Concadia on a political level, that is the Prime Minister. The President holds a purely ceremonial role when it comes to international leadership. They do not represent the Republic at the United Nations, nor do they in the European Union. The Prime Minister usually appears as the representative of the President at these international organisations. The President will traditionally make an appearance at an international organisation alongside the Prime Minister once during their term.

Election
The Presidential election is held on the first Friday of September every 6 years. The President is elected through a system of Alternate Vote, where voters rank their choices in order of preference. If a candidate fails to reach a certain threshold following the first vote count, they are eliminated from the race and all their votes are given to their voters’ second choice. This continues until one candidate has 50% or more of the vote.

Candidates for President must register their campaign with the Electoral Authority 6 months before election day at the earliest, and 3 months prior at the latest.

To run for President, a candidate must be 18 years or older and a citizen of Concadia.

Incumbency
A President’s term lasts 6 years, beginning on the 5th November following election day. This is to provide for a smooth transition and a preparation for the inauguration ceremony. A President may renew their term twice, meaning a President can serve for no more than 12 years.

It is traditional that the President hold weekly meetings with certain members of the government and Parliament, notably the Prime Minister, the Leader of the House of Commons, the Leader of the House of Senators, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the President of the House of Senators. The Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament are entitled to meetings with the President, although these are not weekly scheduled meetings. All MPs and Senators have the right to request a meeting with the President, as do all members of the Executive Council.

Succession
Following the passage of the Presidential Succession Act 1899, the Presidential line of succession is as follows:


 * Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Concadia
 * Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Concordia
 * Speaker of the House of Commons
 * President of the House of Senators
 * First Secretary of State
 * Foreign Secretary
 * Interior Secretary
 * Chancellor of the Republic
 * Justice Secretary
 * Defence Secretary
 * Leader of the House of Commons
 * Leader of the House of Senators
 * Health Secretary
 * Business Secretary
 * International Trade Secretary
 * Education Secretary
 * Welfare Secretary
 * Environment Secretary
 * Federal Secretary
 * Transport Secretary
 * Culture Secretary
 * Magic Secretary
 * Sanctuary Secretary
 * Equalities Secretary

Removal
The President can be removed in two ways.

One way is through impeachment. As outlined in the Constitution, the President can be removed from office through the process of impeachment. If the President has committed a crime whilst in office, the House of Commons can launch investigations through certain committees. If these investigations find evidence that the president has committed a crime, the Justice Select Committee will draw up Articles of Impeachment. These are then presented to the Commons for a vote. If a majority vote Aye, the proceedings continue. A trial is held in the House of Senators, where the Senators will act as a jury. House Managers will present the case for impeachment, while the President’s counsel will present the case against. The trial is presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Following the trial, the House of Senators will vote on whether to convict the President. If the Senate votes to convict, the President is removed from office with immediate effect and the Vice-President assumes the Presidency.

Another way is through a vote of no confidence. For a vote of no confidence to pass, it must pass both Houses of Parliament. If the vote passes, an election is called for the nearest opportunity. The incumbent President can run.

Residence
The President’s official residence is the Presidential Palace, located in the capital city Artovia.