President of the United Realms

The President of the United Realms (Spanish: Presidente de los Reinos Unidos), is the head of government of the United Realms of Oronia. The president directs the executive branch of the national government and is second-in-command of the Military Forces of the United Realms.

Title II of the 1829 Royal Charter vests additional executive power in the president, as such power is primarily vested in the Crown. The power includes the execution and enforcement of national law and the responsibility to appoint national executive, diplomatic, regulatory, and judicial officers with the assent of the Senate and Crown. Based on constitutional provisions empowering the president to appoint and receive ambassadors and conclude treaties with foreign powers, and on subsequent laws enacted by the Congreso Nacional, the modern presidency has primary responsibility for conducting foreign policy. The role also includes responsibility for directing the military, even though the Crown holds supreme command.

The president also plays a leading role in national legislation and domestic policymaking. As part of the system of checks and balances, Title II, Article III gives the president the power to sign or veto national legislation. Since modern presidents are also typically viewed as the leaders of their political parties, major policymaking is significantly shaped by the outcome of presidential elections, with presidents taking an active role in promoting their policy priorities to members of the Congreso Nacional who are often electorally dependent on the president.

The president is directly elected, or “designated”, by the people of the United Realms to a four-year term, along with the vice president, and formally appointed by the Crown. As stated in Title VII, Article XII (the 12th Amendment), a person can serve no more than two terms (eight years in total). In addition, nine vice presidents have become president by virtue of a president's intra-term death or resignation. Title II, Article VII states that the vice president will serve as acting president for the rest of the term should be the president resign, die while in office, be dismissed, or be otherwise unable to serve.

Jorge Ricardo Garcia is the 29th and current president of the United Realms, having assumed office on 3 January 2021.

History

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Origins

On 2 December 1824, the 5th Great Council was convened in Lilaria by Felipe I (formerly Crown Prince Huichahue of Komkiñepu). He and the surviving members of the Great and noble houses declared their independence from the Spanish conquistadores who had dissolved the Empire of Komkiñepu in 1815. The 6th Great Council consisted of a series of meetings convened in Antüria by Felipe from 1825 to 1829. During the initial sessions, and after much debate, the council members decided that Felipe, the last male descendant of the former imperial house, would be the new head of state so long as the other Great Houses regained their sovereign statuses. Thus, the Kingdom of Oronia was established as a federation of monarchies. In the other sessions, the government of the new kingdom was outlined, with drafts of the royal charter written and revised over the next few years, culminating in the final version implemented on 4 January 1829.

Development

As the kingdom’s first president, Baron Carlos de Kofi y de Rosales, a distant cousin of the new sovereigns Felipe I and Isabela, established many norms that would come to define the office. During his presidency, political parties had developed, although he remained unaffiliated. In the first truly contested presidential election, the Progressive Traditionalists (PTP) defeated the Liberal Conservatives (PCL) and managed to dominate the kingdom’s politics until 1877.

The PCL was able to assume political control after the People’s Democrats (PDP) split from the PTP, and continued to hold political control until it was weakened by the Democratic Socialists (PSD) splitting from the PCL. In 1901, the Commonwealth of Northern Platalonia was incorporated into the kingdom which had been reestablished as the United Realms of Oronia. In the deliberations, President Jorge Garcia Montes advocated for the Crown to surrender most of its powers to the other branches of government; while some powers were granted to the branches, the Crown still held a significant role in the government – which it continues to hold to this day. However, it is believed that such efforts are what prevented him from being reelected in 1905; even so, the PCL managed to reclaim political control. In 1909, Franco Romero Gomez was elected president and became most known for lobbying the Congreso Nacional to pass the Presidential Reorganization Act of 1910, which created the Executive Office of the President that reported directly to the president. The act also laid the groundwork for the large and organizationally complex Villa Antü staff that would emerge during the presidencies of Gomez’s successors.

Since 1909, the PSD and the PDP have competed for control of the presidency, with their presidents often failing to be reelected for a second term. However, President Horatio Manueles was elected to serve four terms, having served from 1936 to 1950. Upon his death in 1950, the Royal Charter was amended to limit a president to two terms, or eight years. For some time, the power of the presidency also expanded, with the size and scope of the national government increasing, including more executive agencies. And while the Congreso Nacional sought to strengthen congressional authority, presidents increasingly focused on agency regulations and judicial appointments to implement major policies, at the expense of legislation and congressional power.

Selection process

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Eligibility

Title II, Article VI sets three qualifications for holding the presidency. To serve as president, one must be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen of the United Realms, and a resident in the United Realms for at least 15 years.

A person who meets the above qualifications would, however, still be disqualified from holding the office of president under Title VII, Article XII, having already served eight years as president; under Title II, Article VIII, having been impeached, convicted, dismissed, and prohibited from holding public office; under Title VI, Article XI, currently serving in an executive, legislative, judicial, or military public office at the national, realm, municipal, or tribal level; or under Title VI, Article XI, having sworn an oath to support the Royal Charter and later rebelled against the United Realms.

Campaigns and nomination

The modern presidential campaign begins before the primary elections, which the major political parties use to clear the field of candidates before their national nominating conventions, where the most successful candidate is made the party's presidential nominee. Typically, the party's presidential candidate chooses a vice presidential nominee, and this choice is rubber-stamped by the convention; in coalitions, cooperating parties often co-operate in their presidential campaigns, with one party selecting nominees for the president and another for their vice president.

Nominees participate in nationally televised debates and campaign across the country to explain their views, convince voters and solicit contributions.

Election

The president is directly elected, or “designated”, by the voters of the United Realms and formally appointed by the Crown, as stated in Title II, Article VI.

Inauguration

Pursuant to Presidential Inauguration Act of 1830, the four-year term of office for the president begins at eight o’clock in the morning on 3 January.

Before executing the powers of the office, a president recites the presidential Oath of Office:

I do solemnly swear my allegiance to the Crown of the United Realms, my allegiance to the Royal Charter of the United Realms, that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United Realms, and that I will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Royal Charter.

Sworn in by the Crown, presidents have traditionally placed one hand upon a copy of the Códice Sagrado while taking the oath and have added "So help me Antü" to the end of the oath.

Legislative powers

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Title I, Article I vests legislative powers in the Crown; Title III, Article I vests additional legislative powers in the Congreso Nacional; and Title VI, Article XI prevents the president (and all other executive branch officers) from simultaneously being a legislator at the national, realm, municipal, or tribal level.

Signing and vetoing bills

The president's most significant legislative power, as stated in Title II, Article III, the power to veto any bill passed by the Congreso Nacional. While the Congreso Nacional can override a presidential veto, it requires over a two-thirds vote in both houses, which is usually very difficult to achieve except for widely supported bipartisan legislation. While it was intended that the veto should only be used in cases where a bill was unconstitutional, it is now routinely used in cases where presidents have policy disagreements with a bill. The veto – or threat of a veto – has thus evolved to make the modern presidency a central part of the Oronian legislative process.

Specifically, once a bill has been presented by the Congreso Nacional, the president has three options:

• Sign the legislation within ten days, excluding Sundays—the bill is presented to the Crown and becomes law upon assent.

• Veto the legislation within the above timeframe and return it to the House of Councilors, expressing any objections—the bill does not become law, unless both houses of the Congreso Nacional vote to override the veto by over a two-thirds vote; if so, the bill is presented to the Crown and becomes law upon assent.

• Take no action on the legislation within the above timeframe— bill is presented to the Crown and becomes law upon assent, as if the president had signed it, unless the Congreso Nacional is adjourned at the time, in which case it does not become law (a pocket veto).

Setting the agenda

For most of Oronian history, candidates for president have sought election based on a promised legislative agenda. Formally, Title II, Article V requires the president to recommend such measures to the Congreso Nacional which the president deems "necessary and expedient." This is done through the constitutionally mandated State of the Kingdom address, which usually outlines the president's legislative proposals for the coming year, and through other formal and informal communications with the Congreso Nacional.

The president can be involved in crafting legislation by suggesting, requesting, or even insisting that the Congreso Nacional enact laws they believe are needed. Additionally, they can attempt to shape legislation during the legislative process by exerting influence on individual members of the Congreso Nacional.

The president or other officials of the executive branch may draft legislation and then ask councilors to introduce these drafts into the Congreso Nacional. Additionally, the president may attempt to have the Congreso Nacional alter proposed legislation by threatening to veto that legislation unless requested changes are made.

Promulgating regulations

Many laws enacted by the Congreso Nacional do not address every possible detail, and either explicitly or implicitly delegate powers of implementation to an appropriate national agency. As the head of the executive branch, presidents control a vast array of agencies that can issue regulations with little oversight from the Congreso Nacional.

Executive powers

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Crown

The Royal Charter vests executive, legislative, and judicial powers in the Crown, with additional executive powers vested in the president; amendments to the Royal Charter, as well as legislation passed by the Congreso Nacional, has further limited, or allowed for the regulation of such powers vested in the Crown.

The president has several roles or powers directly related to the Crown:

• The president is formally appointed by the Crown; thus, they are “designated” by the people of the United Realms, as opposed to being “elected”.

• The president is required to regularly inform the Crown of state affairs, which is done through private weekly meetings between president and Crown at the Gran Palacio.

• The president can, at their discretion, invite the Crown to meetings with the Council of Ministers, Council on Domestic Policy, Council on Economic Policy, and Council on National Security.

• A president has the right to appoint a Crown Councilor, a member of the sovereign’s privy council. Only one appointment can be made within a presidency, although the Supreme Court ruled that a president serving a non-consecutive term can appoint another Crown Councilor.

• The president must approve all declarations (royal decrees) of the Crown, unless the subject of the declaration is constitutionally under the purview of the Crown (i.e., appointing a high commissioner, granting clemency, issuing titles and honors).

There was one instance in 1905 in which the Crown dissolved the Congreso Nacional and called for special elections upon the request of the president. This set the practice of dissolvement by the Crown only when requested by the president, even though the Crown constitutionally can do so at any time.

Administrative powers

Ambassadors, members of the Council of Ministers, and other senior officers, are all appointed by the president with the consent of a majority of the Senate, as well as the Crown. When the Senate is in recess for at least ten days, the president can make recess appointments with the consent of the Crown, which are temporary and expire at the end of the next session of the Senate.

The power of the president to fire executive officials has long been a contentious political issue. Generally, a president may remove executive officials purely at will, although it is customary for the president to inform the Crown of such decisions. However, the Congreso Nacional can curtail and constrain a president's authority to fire commissioners of independent regulatory agencies and certain inferior executive officers by statute.

To manage the growing national bureaucracy, presidents have gradually surrounded themselves with many layers of staff, who were eventually organized into the Executive Office of the President. Within the Executive Office, the president's innermost layer of aides (and their assistants) is in the Villa Antü.

The president also possesses the power to manage operations of the national government by indirect means. Declarations have become indirect executive orders, in which the president develops policies or directives for the Crown to issue. These declarations are subject to judicial review by national courts, which can find them to be unconstitutional. Moreover, the Congreso Nacional can overturn a declaration via legislation.

Executive Office of the President

The Executive Office of the President of the United Realms (Spanish: Oficina Ejecutiva del Presidente, OEP) is a group of agencies at the center of the executive branch of the United Realms’ national government. The OEP supports the work of the president and consists of several offices and agencies that play a very important role in the implementation and regulation of public policy.

Due to a need for qualified, knowledgeable civil servants in each office or agency to inform new politicians, the OEP is also referred to as a 'permanent government', with many policy programs, and the people who implement them, continuing between presidential administrations.

The civil servants who work in the Executive Office of the President are also regarded as nonpartisan and politically neutral, so that they can give impartial advice.

With the increase in technological and global advancement, the size of the Villa Antü staff has increased to include an array of policy experts to effectively address various fields. There are about 4,000 positions in the Executive Office of the President, most of which do not require confirmation from the Senate or the Crown as they are hired through the National Civil Agency (Spanish: Agencia Civil Nacional, ACN).

The Executive Office is overseen by the Villa Antü Chief of Staff (Spanish: Jefe de Gabinete de la Villa Antü), held by Ricardo Vasquez Velasquez since 5 January 2021, who appointed by Jorge Ricardo Garcia after his inauguration as President of the United Realms on 3 January 2021.

History

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In 1910, during Franco Romero Gomez’s first term in office, the foundations of modern Villa Antü staff were created based on the recommendations of a presidentially commissioned panel of political science and public administration experts. Gomez lobbied the Congreso Nacional to pass the Presidential Reorganization Act of 1910, which created the OEP that reported directly to the president. The act also laid the groundwork for the large and organizationally complex Villa Antü staff that would emerge during the presidencies of Gomez’s successors.

Organization

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The president has the power to reorganize the Executive Office due to the Presidential Reorganization Act of 1910, which gave the president considerable discretion.

The core Villa Antü staff appointments, and most Executive Office officials generally, are not required to be confirmed by the Senate or the Crown (excluding the Director of Management and Budget, the Director of National Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Joint Intelligence Community Council).

The Executive Office is comprised of:

Office of the Chief of Staff (Spanish: Oficina del Jefe de Gabinete)

The Chief of Staff is the head of the Executive Office and can therefore ultimately decide what the president needs to deal with personally and what can be dealt with by other staff, to avoid wasting the time of the president.

• Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Coordination

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff

• Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Senior Counselor

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Senior Counselor

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Senior Counselor

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Office of Communication (Spanish: Oficina de Comunicación, OCO)

The Office of Communication is responsible for developing and promoting the agenda of the President. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Communications

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Communications

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Communications

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Communications

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Communications

• Office of the Press Secretary (Spanish: Oficina del Secretario de Prensa, OSP), who acts as the spokesperson for the executive branch of the United Realms’ government, especially regarding the President, senior aides, and executives, as well as government policies.

  • Assistant to the President and Press Secretary

  • Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary

    • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Press Secretary

    • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Press Secretary

      • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Press Secretary

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Office of the Counsel to the President (Spanish: Oficina del Consejo del Presidente, OCP)

The Office of the Counsel to the President advises the President on all legal issues concerning the President and their administration. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Counsel to the President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Counsel to the President

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Counsel to the President

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Office of Crown Affairs (Spanish: Oficina de Asuntos de la Corona, OAC)

The Office of Crown Affairs is the primary liaison between the President and the Crown and its agencies. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Crown Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Crown Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Crown Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Crown Affairs

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Crown Affairs

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Office of Domestic Policy (Spanish: Oficina de Política Doméstica, OPD)

The Office of Domestic Policy advises the President on domestic policy matters, excluding economic matters. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Domestic Policy

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Domestic Policy

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Domestic Policy

  • Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Domestic Policy

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Domestic Policy

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Office of Economic Policy (Spanish: Oficina de Política Económica, OPE)

The Office of Economic Policy advises the President on economic policy matters, separate from matters relating to domestic policy. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Economic Policy

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Economic Policy

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Economic Policy

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Economic Policy

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Economic Policy

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Office of the First Lady (Spanish: La Oficina de la Primera Dama, OPR)

The Office of the First Lady is the staff accountable to the first lady of the United Realms, typically the wife of the president, who is the hostess of the Villa Antü.

• Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy for the First Lady

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Social Secretary, who is responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of official social events at the Villa Antü

  • Villa Antü Executive Chef, who is responsible for managing the kitchens and for planning and preparing of all menus and meals for the president and the first family, including their private meals, their private entertaining, and official state functions at the Villa Antü

  • Villa Antü Chief Usher, who is the head of household staff and operations at the Villa Antü

    • Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Communications for the First Lady

    • Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Policy for the First Lady

    • Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Social Secretary

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff to the First Lady

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Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (Spanish: Oficina de Asuntos Intergubernamentales, OAI)

The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs is the primary liaison between the Villa Antü and realm, local, and tribal governments. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

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Office of Legislative Affairs (Spanish: Oficina de Asuntos Legislativos, OAL)

The Office of Legislative Affairs is the primary liaison between the Villa Antü and the Congreso Nacional. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Legislative Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Legislative Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Legislative Affairs

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Legislative Affairs

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Office of Management and Budget (Spanish: Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto, OGP)

The Office of Management and Budget measures the quality of agency programs, policies, and procedures to see if they comply with the President's policies and coordinates inter-agency policy initiatives. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Management and Budget

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Management and Budget

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Management and Budget

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Management and Budget

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Management and Budget

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Office of Ministerial Affairs (Spanish: Oficina de Asuntos Ministeriales, OAM)

The Office of Ministerial Affairs is the primary liaison between the President and the Cabinet ministries and agencies. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of Ministerial Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Ministerial Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Ministerial Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Ministerial Affairs

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of Ministerial Affairs

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Office of National Security (Spanish: Oficina de Seguridad Nacional, OSN)

The Office of National Security advises the President on national security, military, and foreign policy matters. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Director of National Security

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of National Security

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of National Security

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of National Security

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Director of National Security

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Office of the Staff Secretary (Spanish: Oficina del Secretario del Personal, OSPE)

The Office of the Staff Secretary is responsible for managing paper flow to the President and circulating documents among senior staff for comment. It is comprised of:

• Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Staff Secretary

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Staff Secretary

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Staff Secretary

    • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Staff Secretary

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Vice President

The Vice President of the United Realms (Spanish: Vicepresidente de los Reinos Unidos) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the United Realms national government, after the President of the United Realms, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession.

Constitutional roles

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Successor to the president

Title II, Article VII states that the vice president, upon nomination by the Congreso Nacional and appointment by the Crown, becomes acting president upon the removal from office, death, or resignation of the president, or if the president is otherwise unable to serve.

Modern roles

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The present-day power of the office flows primarily from formal and informal delegations of authority from the president. These delegations can vary in significance; for example, the vice president is a statutory member of the Council of Ministers, the Domestic Policy Council, the Economic Policy Council, and the National Security Council. The extent of the roles and functions of the vice president depend on the specific relationship between the president and the vice president, but often include tasks such as drafter and spokesperson for the administration's policies, adviser to the president, and being a symbol of Oronian concern or support. The influence of the vice president in these roles depends almost entirely on the characteristics of the administration.

Presidential advisor

Most recent vice presidents have been viewed as important presidential advisors and are sometimes one of the president’s closest confidants.

Governing partner

Recent vice presidents have been delegated authority by presidents to handle significant issue areas independently. Jorge Garcia Montes tasked his vice president, Miguel Rosales Jimenez, to handle Platalonian policy; Pablo Ortiz Montes had his vice president, Nicholas Lopez Cruz, lead the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Representative at events

Some of the ceremonial duties of the president can be delegated to the vice president. The vice president will on occasion represent the president and the national government at state funerals abroad, or at various events in the United Realms; this often is the most visible role of the vice president. The vice president may also meet with other heads of government at times when the administration wishes to demonstrate concern or support but cannot send the president personally.

Security

The vice president has legally been a member of the Council on National Security since 1929. Modern vice presidents have also been included in the president's daily and emergency intelligence briefings.

Selection process

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Eligibility

Title II, Article VI of the Royal Charter sets three qualifications for holding the vice presidency. To serve as vice president, one must be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen of the United States, and a resident in the United States for at least 15 years.

A person who meets the above qualifications would, however, still be disqualified from holding the office of vice president under Title II, Article VIII, having been impeached, convicted, dismissed, and prohibited from holding public office; under Title VI, Article XI, currently serving in an executive, legislative, judicial, or military public office at the national, realm, municipal, or tribal level; or under Title VI, Article XI, having sworn an oath to support the Royal Charter and later rebelled against the United Realms.

Nomination

The vice-presidential candidates of the major national political parties are formally selected by each party's nominating convention, typically following the selection of the party's presidential candidate. The official process is identical to the one by which the presidential candidates are chosen, with delegates placing the names of candidates into nomination, followed by a ballot in which candidates must receive a majority to secure the party's nomination. Typically, the party's presidential candidate chooses a vice presidential nominee, and this choice is rubber-stamped by the convention; in coalitions, cooperating parties often co-operate in their presidential campaigns, with one party selecting nominees for the president and another for their vice president.

Selection criteria

Though the vice president does not need to have any political experience, most major party/coalition vice presidential nominees are current or former United Realms senators or councilors, with the occasional nominee being a current or former premier, a high-ranking military officer, or a holder of a major post within an executive ministry. In addition, the vice-presidential nominee has typically been an official resident of a different realm than the presidential nominee.

Often, the presidential nominee will name a vice presidential candidate who will bring geographic or ideological balance to the ticket or appeal to a particular constituency. The vice-presidential candidate might also be chosen based on traits the presidential candidate is perceived to lack, or based on name recognition. To foster party unity, popular runners-up in the presidential nomination process are commonly considered. While this selection process may enhance the chances of success for a national ticket, in the past it often resulted in the vice-presidential nominee representing regions, constituencies, or ideologies at odds with those of the presidential candidate. As a result, vice presidents were often excluded from the policy-making process of the new administration. Many times, their relationships with the president and his staff were aloof, non-existent, or even adversarial.

Election

The vice president is directly elected, or “designated” by the voters of the United Realms and formally appointed by the Crown, as stated in Title II, Article VI.

Tenure

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Inauguration

Pursuant to the Presidential Inauguration Act of 1830, the four-year term of office for the vice president begins at eight o’clock in the morning on 3 January.

Before executing the powers of the office, a vice president is required to recite the vice-presidential Oath of Office:

I do solemnly swear my allegiance to the Crown of the United Realms, my allegiance to the Royal Charter of the United Realms, that I will faithfully execute the Office of Vice President of the United Realms, and that I will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Royal Charter.

Sworn in by the Crown, vice presidents have traditionally placed one hand upon a copy of the Códice Sagrado while taking the oath and have added "So help me Antü" to the end of the oath.

Term of office

The term of office for both the vice president and the president is four years. However, Title VII, Article XII only puts a limit on the number of terms an individual can serve a presidency (two), not on the vice presidency.

Impeachment

Title II, Article VIII states that national officials, including the vice president, can be dismissed from office “Should [He] Be Suspected Of Violating His Duties And Responsibilities.”

Vacancies

Prior to 1905, there was no constitutional provision that established filling an intra-term vacancy in the vice presidency; while it never came to pass, the Crown would have likely been responsible for filling the vacancy. Title VII, Article X (the 10th Amendment) states that when the office of the vice president is vacant, the president will nominate a vice president for the Congreso Nacional to confirm by majority vote and for the Crown to assent.

Office and status

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Salary

The vice president’s salary is $380,500.

Residence

The Villa Estado in Antüria is the official residence of the vice president and their immediate family. Like several other palaces and residences, the Villa Estado belongs to the Crown but is held in trust for future rulers and cannot be sold by the monarch.

Villa Estado

Staff

The vice president is supported by personnel in the Office of the Vice President. The office was created in the Presidential Reorganization Act of 1910, which included an "Office of the Vice President" under the Executive Office of the President.

• Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor to the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Communications for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Communications for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Communications for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Counsel to the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Counsel to the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Counsel to the President

• Assistant to the President and Director of Crown Affairs for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Crown Affairs for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Crown Affairs for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Crown Affairs for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Director of Domestic Policy for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Domestic Policy for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Domestic Policy for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Domestic Policy for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Director of Economic Policy for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Economic Policy for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Economic Policy for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Economic Policy for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Director of Legislative Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Legislative Affairs

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Legislative Affairs

• Assistant to the President and Director of Management and Budget for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Management and Budget for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Management and Budget for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Management and Budget for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Director of Ministerial Affairs for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Ministerial Affairs for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of Ministerial Affairs for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of Ministerial Affairs for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Director of National Security for the Vice President

• Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of National Security for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Director of National Security for the Vice President

  • Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Director of National Security for the Vice President

Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers of the United Realms (Spanish: Consejo de Ministros), consisting of the vice president and the heads of the executive ministries in the national government of the United Realms, is the principal official advisory body to the president. The president chairs the meetings but is not formally a member of the council. The heads of ministries, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate and Crown, are members of the Council, and acting ministry heads also participate in Council meetings regardless of whether they have been officially nominated for Senate and Crown confirmation. The president may designate heads of other agencies and non-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Council.

The Council does not have any collective executive powers or functions of its own, and no votes need to be taken. There are 18 members (19 including the vice president): 11 ministry heads and seven Council-level members, most of whom have received Senate and Crown confirmation. The Council meets with the president in the Ministers’ Room at the Villa Antü. The members sit in the order in which their respective ministry or office was created, with the earliest being closest to the president and the newest farthest away.

The members of the Council, excluding the vice president, serve at the pleasure of the president, who can dismiss them at any time without the approval of the Senate or Crown – as affirmed by the Supreme Court – or downgrade their membership in the Council. The president has the authority to organize the Council, such as instituting committees. Like all national public officials, Council members are also subject to impeachment by the House of Councilors and trial in the Senate.

The Royal Charter does not explicitly establish a Council. The Council’s role, inferred from the language in Title II, Article I, is to provide advice to the president.

Confirmation process

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The heads of the executive ministries and all other national agency heads are nominated by the president and then presented to the Senate for confirmation or rejection by a simple majority and then to the Crown for assent. If approved, they receive their commission scroll, are sworn in, and begin their duties. When the Senate is not in session, the president can, with assent of the Crown, appoint temporary acting heads of the executive ministers.

An elected vice president does not require Senate confirmation, nor do the Villa Antü chief of staff, Villa Antü counsel, and Director of Crown Affairs, which are appointed staff positions of the Executive Office of the President.

Current members

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Heads of executive ministries

• Foreign Minister

• Defense Minister

• Home Minister

• Justice Minister

• Finance Minister

• Health Minister

• Education, Science, and Technology Minister

• Housing, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister

• Commerce and Labor Minister

• Culture, Tourism, and Sports Minister

• Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Minister

Council-level members

• Director of Crown Affairs

• Director of Management and Budget

• Director of National Intelligence

• Ambassador to the World Assembly

• Ambassador to the West Pacific

• Villa Antü Chief of Staff

• Villa Antü Counsel

Domestic Policy Council

The Domestic Policy Council (Spanish: Consejo de Política Interior) is the principal forum used by the president for the consideration of domestic policy matters and senior policymaking. Chaired by the president, the council consists of the vice president; the Home Minister; the Finance Minister; the Health Minister; the Housing, Infrastructure and Transport Minister; the Commerce and Labor Minister; the Culture, Tourism, and Sports Minister; the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Minister; and the Director of Domestic Policy, who serves as vicechairman. Other members of the Council of Ministers, as well as other agency heads, can attend meetings as well.

Economic Policy Council

The Economic Policy Council (Spanish: Consejo de Política Económica) is the principal forum used by the president for the consideration of domestic and international economic policy matters and senior policymaking. Chaired by the president, the council consists of the vice president; the Foreign Minister; the Home Minister; the Finance Minister; the Health Minister; the Housing, Infrastructure and Transport Minister; the Commerce and Labor Minister; the Culture, Tourism, and Sports Minister; the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Minister; and the Director of Economic Policy. Other members of the Council of Ministers, as well as other agency heads, can attend meetings as well.

National Security Council

The National Security Council (Spanish: Consejo de Seguridad Nacional) is the principal forum used by the president for consideration of national security, military, and foreign policy matters. Chaired by the president, the council consists of the vice president; the Foreign Minister; the Defense Minister; the Home Minister; the Justice Minister; the Finance Minister; the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Minister; the Chairman of the Military Forces Council; the Vice Chairman of the Military Forces Council; the Chief of Staff of the Army; the Chief of Naval Operations; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Chief of Space Operations; the Captain-General of the Crown Guard; the Director of National Intelligence; the Director of National Security, who serves as vicechairman; the Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency; and the Villa Antü chief of staff. In some cases, other members of the Council of Ministers, such as the Villa Antü counsel, ambassadors to the World Assembly and to the West Pacific, as well as other agency heads, can attend meetings as well.

Foreign powers

Title II, Article II states that the president "assist[s] the Crown in receiving all foreign ambassadors and officials”. Traditionally, all ambassadors, consuls, and other senior diplomats are received by the president at the Oro Palacio – the ceremonial residence of the Crown – upon their appointment by their home nation to present their letters of credence. This has also provided support for the president's authority to grant recognition to a foreign government although the Crown would still always be informed of such actions. The Royal Charter also empowers the president to appoint ambassadors, and to propose and chiefly negotiate agreements between the United States and other countries. Such agreements, upon receiving the consent of the Congreso Nacional (by a majority vote) and Crown, become binding with the force of national law; nominations require Senate and Crown approval.

While foreign affairs have always been a significant element of presidential responsibilities, advances in technology since the Royal Charter’s adoption have increased presidential power. Where formerly ambassadors were vested with significant power to independently negotiate on behalf of the United Realms, presidents now routinely meet directly with leaders of foreign countries.

Military

While the power to declare war is constitutionally vested in the Congreso Nacional, the president “assist[s] the Crown in command of the military forces of the Kingdom,” as stated in Title II, Article II. The exact degree of authority that the Royal Charter grants to the president over the military has been the subject of much debate throughout history, with the Congreso Nacional at various times granting the president wide authority and at others attempting to restrict that authority. While the Crown is constitutionally Supreme Commander of the Military Forces, the president is traditionally named Captain-General of the Army and Common Corps, Captain-General of the Navy and Marine Corps, and Captain-General of the Air and Space Forces upon their inauguration; the ranks are rescinded upon the end of their presidency.

The present-day operational command of the Military Forces is delegated to the Defense Ministry and is normally exercised through the defense minister.

Juridical powers and privileges

The president has the power to nominate national judges, including members of the United Realms appellate courts and the Supreme Court of the United Realms. However, these nominations require the consent of the Senate and Crown before they may take office. Securing Senate approval can provide a major obstacle for presidents who wish to orient the national judiciary toward a particular ideological stance. When nominating judges to United Realms district and appellate courts, presidents often respect the long-standing tradition of senatorial courtesy. Presidents may also grant commutations and reprieves for all crimes at the national level excluding treason; only the Crown has the power to grant pardons, commutations, and reprieves for any crime, including treason, at the national or realm level.

Presidents hold executive privilege, which allows them to withhold from disclosure any communications made directly to the president in the performance of executive duties. President de Kofi y Rosales first claimed the privilege when the Congreso Nacional requested to see his ambassador’s notes from an unpopular treaty negotiation with Spain. While not enshrined in the Royal Charter or any other law, de Kofi y Rosales’s action created the precedent for the privilege. When President Gomez tried to use executive privilege as a reason for not turning over subpoenaed evidence to the Congreso Nacional during the Paraíso scandal, the Supreme Court ruled that executive privilege did not apply in cases where a president was attempting to avoid criminal prosecution. When President Carlo Suarez attempted to use executive privilege regarding the Flores-Villa Antü scandal, the Supreme Court ruled that the privilege also could not be used in civil suits. These cases established the legal precedent that executive privilege is valid, although the exact extent of the privilege has yet to be clearly defined. Additionally, national courts have allowed this privilege to radiate outward and protect other executive branch employees but have weakened that protection for those executive branch communications that do not involve the president.

The state secrets privilege allows the president and the executive branch to withhold information or documents from discovery in legal proceedings if such release would harm national security. However, critics of the privilege claim its use has become a tool for the government to cover up illegal or embarrassing government actions.

According to Title II, Article IX, the president has absolute immunity from court cases, although potential criminal charges and civil suits can be used to impeach a president.

Leadership roles

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Head of government

The Crown is constitutionally the head of state of the United Realms and is as such responsible for hosting state visits and state banquets. The president, however, fulfills several less formal ceremonial duties such as the inauguration of the Copa Orona Final, the final match of the official football cup competition organized by the Oronian Football Association (AFO).

Presidential traditions also involve the president's role as head of government, in which the outgoing president traditionally give advice to their successor during the presidential transition; President Gomez and his successors have left a private message on the presidential desk on Inauguration Day for the incoming president.

Head of party

The president is typically considered to be the head of their political party or coalition, although sometimes the president shares the role with the presiding officers of the Congreso Nacional. Candidates from a political party or coalition inevitably have their electoral success intertwined with the performance of the party or coalition’s presidential candidate; often, the presiding officers are co-leaders of majority parties or coalitions, or opposition leaders of minority parties or coalitions. The coattail effect, or lack thereof, will also often impact a party or coalition’s candidates at realm and local levels of government as well. However, there are sometimes tensions between a president and others in the party or coalition, with presidents who lose significant support from their party or coalition’s caucus in the Congreso Nacional generally viewed to be weaker and less effective.

Incumbency

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Term limit

Under Title VII, Article XII, no person can serve as president for more than eight years, or two terms. However, it was unclear as to whether such a limit was still present when a vice president succeeded to the presidency during their predecessor’s term. In 1979, the Supreme Court ruled that the years during which the vice president served in their predecessor’s stead would not count towards the eight-year limit since they were serving as “acting president,” and thus in a different capacity than a president holding office in their own right.

Vacancies and succession

Under Title II, Article VII, the vice president, upon nomination by the Congreso Nacional and appointment by the Crown, becomes acting president upon the removal from office, death, or resignation of the president, or if the president is otherwise unable to serve.

The National Emergency and Contingency Act of 1974 established a presidential line of succession should both the president and vice president have left office or are both otherwise unavailable to serve during their terms of office.

The current order is:

1. Foreign Minister

2. Defense Minister

3. Home Minister

4. Justice Minister

5. Finance Minister

6. Health Minister

7. Education, Science, and Technology Minister

8. Housing, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister

9. Commerce and Labor Minister

10. Culture, Tourism, and Sports Minister

11. Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Minister

Removal

Title I, Article VI originally vested the power and authority to preside over all trials of dismissals of, and formally dismiss, the president (as well as any member of the government, courts or Congreso Nacional) in the Crown; it was also able to dismiss the president (as well as any member of the government, courts or Congreso Nacional) without trial. However, Title VII, Article IV (the 4th Amendment) removed the Crown’s power to dismiss the defendant without trial and required the Chief Justice to preside over all trials.

Title II, Article VIII states that the president, vice president, or any senior member of government can be dismissed from office “should [he] be suspected of violating his duties and responsibilities”. The House is given the authority to impeach, or formally charge, by majority vote; the Senate acts as the trial court, with two-thirds votes needed to convict.

Compensation

Since 2000, the president's annual salary has been $400,000, along with a: $50,000 expense allowance; $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and $19,000 entertainment account. The president's salary is set by the Congreso Nacional, and under Title II, Article IX, any increase or reduction in presidential salary cannot take effect before the next presidential term of office.

Residence

The Villa Antü in Antüria is the official residence of the president and their immediate family. Like several other palaces and residences, the Villa Antü belongs to the Crown but is held in trust for future rulers and cannot be sold by the monarch. The national government pays for state dinners and other official functions, but the president pays for personal, family, and guest dry cleaning and food. The Estado Palacio, another Crown-owned property in Antüria, is the state guest house and serves as the official residence for visiting foreign dignitaries, especially during state visits or for other important events.

Palacio de Estado

Travel

The United Realms Air Force maintains an element – which consists of ten aircrafts and about 100 personnel – that is responsible for long-distance air travel for the president and vice president. For short-distance air travel, the president has access to a small squadron – which consists of eight helicopters – that is maintained by the United Realms Marine Corps.

For ground travel, the president uses the presidential state car, which is an armored limousine. The Presidential Guard operates and maintains several limousines. The president and vice president also have access to two armored motorcoaches, which are primarily used for touring trips.

Protection

The Presidential Guard (Spanish: Guardia Presidencial) is the law enforcement agency charged with protecting the president, vice president, and their immediate families within Antüria, throughout the United Realms, and abroad.

Jurisdiction

The Presidential Guard ensures the safety of the President of the United Realms, the Vice President of the United States, the President-elect of the United Realms, the Vice President-elect of the United Realms, and their immediate families; former presidents, their spouses, and their children under the age of 18; major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses; and visiting foreign heads of state and heads of government. By custom, it also provides protection to any other persons as directed by the President (usually the Villa Antü chief of staff and Director of National Security, among others). By national statute, the president and vice president may not refuse this protection. The Presidential Guard also provides physical security for the Villa Antü Complex; the vice president's residence; and the principal private residences of the president, vice president, and former presidents. The protective mission includes protective operations to coordinate manpower and logistics with realm and local law enforcement, protective advances to conduct site and venue assessments for protectees, and protective intelligence to investigate all manners of threats made against protectees. As part of the service's mission of preventing an incident before it occurs, the agency relies on meticulous advance work and threat assessments developed by its Intelligence Directorate to identify potential risks to protectees.

Organizational structure

The Presidential Guard is managed by a director and deputy director who are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the President of the United Realms; while not subject to Senate confirmation, the appointment requires Crown assent. The director and deputy director report to the Home Minister and operates with the general directions thereof. The agency consists of five directorates: the Internal Affairs Directorate (Spanish: Dirreción de Asuntos Internos, DAI) investigates criminal and administrative allegations involving members of the agency; the Major Crimes Directorate (Spanish: Dirreción de Delitos Mayores, DDM) investigates crimes against and involving protectees; the Intelligence Directorate (Spanish: Dirreción de Inteligencia, DIN) aims to deter, detect, and neutralize the efforts of intelligence services targeting protectees; the Protective Services Directorate (Spanish: Dirreción de Servicios de Protección, DSP) provides security for protectees; and the Security Services Directorate (Spanish: Dirreción de Servicios de Seguridad, DSS) provides physical security for key facilities and residences.

Post-presidency

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Activities

Some former presidents have had significant careers after leaving office, such as serving as judges and justices, ambassadors, or members of the Congreso Nacional.

Presidents may also use their predecessors as emissaries to deliver private messages to other nations or as official representatives of the United Realms government to state funerals and other important foreign events.

Pension and other benefits

The Former Presidents' Benefits and Protections Act of 1958 grants lifetime benefits to former presidents (excluding those were dismissed from office by impeachment) and their widows (unless they remarry), including a monthly pension, medical care in military facilities, health insurance, and protection by the Presidential Guard; also provided is funding for a certain number of staff and for office expenses.