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{{Infobox official post
| post                     = President 
| body                     = Federal Republic of Besmenia 
| native_name              = ''Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Besmenien'' 
| insignia                 = File:Logo of Besmenian president.png
| insigniasize             = 155px
| insigniacaption          = Logo of the President
| flag                     = File:Besmenian president standard.png
| flagsize                 = 120px
| flagborder               = 
| flagcaption              = Standard of the President
| image                    = File:Élisabeth Baume-Schneider (2024, cropped).jpg
| imagesize                = 188px
| alt                      = 
| incumbent                = [[Erika Badt-Springer]]
| acting                   = 
| incumbentsince           = 1 April 2024
| department               = 
| style                    = 
| type                     = Head of State 
| status                   = 
| abbreviation             = 
| member_of                = 
| reports_to               = 
| residence                = [[Traisenbach Castle]], [[Laitstadt]]
| seat                     = 
| nominator                = Political partys or self-nomination
| appointer                = {{wp|Direct popular vote}}
| appointer_qualified      = 
| termlength               = 6 years, renewable once
| termlength_qualified     = 
| constituting_instrument  = 
| precursor                = 
| formation                = 2 July 1920
| first                    = 
| last                     = 
| abolished                = 
| succession               = 
| unofficial_names         = 
| deputy                   = [[President of the Federal Chamber]]
| salary                   = [[Besmenian schilling|BS]] 300,000 annually
| website                  = 
}}
The '''president of Besmenia''', officially the '''Federal President of the Federal Republic of Besmenia''' (Besmenian: ''Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Besmenien''), is the head of state of [[Besmenia]] and commander-in-chief of the [[Besmenian Federal Army]]. According to the [[Basic Law of Besmenia|Basic Law]], the president is the highest representative of the state. In practice the president is mostly a ceremonial and symbolic figurehead.

The Federal President is elected by the people every six years and may only be re-elected once and remain in office continuously for a total of twelve years.

==History==
===Before 1920===
The government of the short-lived [[Confederation of East Besmenian States]], consisting of the BDP, SDU and BKP, as well as the [[Provisional Federal Assembly (Besmenia)|provisional Federal Assembly]], agreed when the KBS was founded in 1918 that the president of the provisional federal assembly would also serve as head of state. Between 1918 and 1920 [[Gustav Scharping]] was President of the Federal Assembly and was also the head of state of the Confederation.

After the end of the [[Besmenian civil war]], the BDP and BKP strove for a head of state with a special position of power. The SDU sought to retain the President of Parliament as head of state. As a compromise, after the founding of the [[East Besmenia]]n Federal Republic on July 2, 1920, the president was created as a separate state body, but his powers were only very weak, which meant he had mostly ceremonial tasks.
===1920-1941===
===Since 1941===

==Requirements==
To become a presidential candidate, three prerequisites must be met:
*The presidential candidate must be at least 36 years old.
*The presidential candidate must be born in Besmenia.
*The presidential candidate must have lived in Besmenia continuously for at least 10 years.

A presidential candidate also needs 5,500 signatures to participate in the presidential election. While in office the president cannot belong to an elected body or hold any other political position.

==Election==
The term of office is about 6 years. A one-time re-election is possible. Until 1935 the president was elected by the [[Federal Assembly (Besmenia)|Federal Assembly]], which is composed of the members of the Federal Chamber and the [[Federal Senate (Besmenia)|Federal Senate]]. [[Hugo Dautzenberg]] was the first president to be directly elected by the people in the [[1941 East Besmenian presidential election]].

Until 1939 there was no limitation in office, which means that any candidate could serve as president for more than 12 years. In 1939, under [[Prime Minister of Besmenia|Prime Minister]] [[Heinz Dimmler]] and his government cabinet, multiple re-elections were abolished and limited to one.

===Past presidential elections===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Election !! Date !! Ballots !! Winner !!Electoral votes <br /> (percentage) !! Runner-up !!Electoral votes <br /> (percentage)
|-
| [[1920 East Besmenian presidential election|1920]] || 10 October 1920 || 1 || [[Hermann Köster]] (Independent) || 70,5% || [[Peter Gruber]] (SDU) || 28,5%
|-
| [[1926 East Besmenian presidential election|1926]] || 29 August 1926 || 1 || Hermann Köster (Independent) || 69,3% || [[Bernhard Bruning]] (KPB) || 21%
|-
| [[1929 East Besmenian presidential election|1929]] || 5 May 1929 || 1 || [[Hans Saalmann]] (BKP) || 51,8% || [[Herbert Frenkel]] (SDU) || 48,2%
|-
| [[1935 East Besmenian presidential election|1935]] || 5 May 1935 ||2 || [[Heinrich Friedensberg]] (BVP) || 60,5% || Hans Saalmann (BKP) || 39,5%
|-
| [[1941 East Besmenian presidential election|1941]] || 4 May 1941<br/>18 May 1941 || 2 || [[Hugo Dautzenberg]] (SDU) || 67,9% || [[Siegfried Radler]] (Independent) || 32,1%
|-
| [[1947 East Besmenian presidential election|1947]] || 4 May 1947 || 1 || Hugo Dautzenberg (SDU) || 50,9% || [[Gustav Böcker]] (BVP) || 39,4%
|-
| [[1951 East Besmenian presidential election|1951]] || 29 April 1951 || 1 || [[Wilhelm Ganswindt]](BVP) || 60,2% || [[Jürgen Waldmacher]] (FBBP) || 29%
|-
| [[1957 East Besmenian presidential election|1957]] || 28 April 1957 || 1 || Wilhelm Ganswindt (BVP) || 58% || [[Oskar Stein]] (SDU) || 30,3%
|-
| [[1963 East Besmenian presidential election|1963]] || 28 April 1963<br/>12 May 1963 || 2 || [[Thomas Albrecht]] (SDU) || 54,7% || [[Franz Kramwald]] (BVP) || 45,3%
|-
| [[1969 Besmenian presidential election|1969]] || 27 April 1969 || 1 || Thomas Albrecht (SDU) || 60,2% || [[Alois Huthmacher]] (BRP) || 32,1%
|-
| [[1973 Besmenian presidential election|1973]] || 25 March 1973 ||1 || [[Erwin Pohl]] (Independent) ||56,3% || [[Kurt Weimer]] (BVP) || 31%
|-
| [[1979 Besmenian presidential election|1979]] || 25 February 1979 ||1 || Erwin Pohl (Independent) || 74,8% || [[Werner Kaltmann]] (BVP) || 15,2%
|-
| [[1985 Besmenian presidential election|1985]] || 24 February 1985<br/>10 March 1985 ||2 || [[Otto Schulz]] (FBBP) || 60,5% || [[Manfred von Henning]] (BRP) || 39,5%
|-
| [[1991 Besmenian presidential election|1991]] || 24 February 1991 ||1 || Otto Schulz (FBBP) || 63,4% || [[Josef Müller]] (Independent) || 33,8%
|-
| [[1997 Besmenian presidential election|1997]] || 23 February 1997<br/>9 March 1997 || 2 || [[Gerhard Mahler]] (SDU) || 52,1% || [[Ursula Kummstein]] (FBBP) || 47,9%
|-
| [[2003 Besmenian presidential election|2003]] || 23 February 2003 ||1 || [[Hans Kiesinger]] (BVP) || 53,8% || [[Peter Treudler]] (NBP) || 25,1%
|-
| [[2009 Besmenian presidential election|2009]] || 22 February 2009 ||1 || Hans Kiesinger (BVP) || 56,3% || [[Doris Klammer-Brunt]] (SDU) || 31,8%
|-
| [[2015 Besmenian presidential election|2015]] || 22 February 2015 ||1 || [[Sebastian Bergmann]] (GPB) || 57,7% || [[Regina Vogel]] (FBBP) || 21,5%
|-
| [[2021 Besmenian presidential election|2021]] || 28 February 2021<br/> 14 March 2021 || 2 || [[Vincent von Schilling]] (BVP)|| 52,9 % || Sebastian Bergmann (GPB)|| 46,9 %
|- 
| [[2024 Besmenian presidential election|2024]] || 10 March 2024<br/>24 March 2024|| 2|| [[Erika Badt-Springer]] (FBBP)|| 51,8% || [[Jens Schechter]] (NBP) || 48,2%
|}

==Succession==
[[File:Kalveram, Esther (SPD-Fraktion Hessen, Christof Mattes) (cropped).jpg|175px|thumb|right|[[Barbara Schröder]], current President of the Federal Chamber, and at the same time deputy to the Besmenian president.]]
The Besmenian [[Basic Law of Besmenia|Basic Law]] makes no provisions for an office of vice president. The official deputy to the Besmenian president is the [[President of the Federal Chamber]]. If the Federal President resigns or dies during his term of office, the President of the Federal Chamber assumes the duties of the Besmenian president on an acting basis until a new Federal President is sworn in. During this time, a new Federal President must be elected.

==Oath==
When taking office, the president must recite the following oath:<br/>''"I, (name) swear that I will devote my energies to the welfare of the Besmenian people, uphold the Basic Law and the laws of the Federal Republic of Besmenia, conscientiously fulfill my duties and do justice to everyone."''

==Tasks and powers==
In his function as head of state, the Federal President has, among other things, the following tasks and powers:
*He represents Besmenia under international law.
*He is the commander-in-chief of the [[Besmenian Federal Army]].
*He certifies diplomatic representatives.
*He has the right of pardon at the federal level
*He executes federal laws with his signature and has them promulgated by publication in the Federal Law Gazette.
*He appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister.
*He appoints and dismisses federal ministers at the suggestion of the Prime Minister.
*He appoints and dismisses federal judges, federal officials, officers and non-commissioned officers, except as otherwise provided by orders and orders.
*After a failed vote of confidence, he has the decision to dissolve the Federal Chamber.
*He announces that the state of defense has been established and has occurred, and he makes declarations under international law when an attack occurs
*He convenes the Federal Chamber
*He initiates acts of state for important reasons and arranges state symbols.
*He approves the rules of procedure of the federal government.
==Official residences==
{{Multiple image
|perrow   = 1
|header   = Presidential residences
|image1   = Traisenbach Castle.png
|image2   = Mürzsteg - Jagdschloss bzw. Präsidentenvilla (2).JPG
|caption1 = [[Traisenbach Castle]], the official place of residence of the president
|caption2 = [[Schallenberg Hunting Lodge]], used by the president as a country retreat.
}}
Since the creation of the office, the president has had his official residence in [[Traisenbach Castle]] in Laitstadt. The castle serves as a place of work and residence for the president. The [[Presidential Chancellery (Besmenia)|Presidential Chancellery]], which supports the president in his duties, is also based in Traisenbach Castle.

The [[Schallenberg Hunting Lodge]], which is located in the southwest of Metakumburg, has been the official country residence of the Besmenian president since 1955. The Schallenberg Hunting Lodge was privately owned by various noble families for centuries, most recently by the House of Heraldstein. After the founding of the Federal Republic of East Besmenia in 1920, the hunting lodge became the property of the federal government. A museum dedicated to the [[Besmenian Civil War]] was set up in the official rooms. The remaining rooms were rented out to summer guests. Since 1955 it has served as a country residence for each of the incumbent Besmenian presidents.
==Spouse of the President==
{{Main article|First Lady of Besmenia}}
The wives of the Federal Presidents enjoy a special social reputation even without a formal office. State ceremonies often provide for the president to appear with his wife on special occasions. Political neutrality and restraint are expected from them. The majority of the wives of the Federal Presidents did not pursue a profession at the time of their election or afterwards.

==Travel and transportation==
<center><gallery>
File: BesPreCar.png|
File: BesPrePla.png|
</gallery></center>
==List of Besmenian presidents==
{| class= "wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! width=5% colspan="2"| Portrait
! width=13%|Name<br/>{{small|(Birth{{ndash}}Death)}}
! width=10% colspan="2"| Term of office
! width=8%|Tenure<br/>{{small|(Years and days)}}
! width=12%|Party
! width=12%|Election
|-
! style="background:#D3D3D3;" |<span style="color:#000000"> 1 </span>
| [[File:Helmut Ritter.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Hermann Köster]]'''<br/><small>(1852–1929)</small>
| 10 October <br />1920
| 9 March <br /> 1929 †
| <small>{{age in years and days|10 October 1920|9 March 1929}}</small>
| Independent
| [[1920 East Besmenian presidential election|1920]]<br />[[1926 East Besmenian presidential election|1926]]
|-
|- style="background:#f9e3be"
! style="background:#0F0FFF;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> - </span>
| [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2007-0327-500, Freiherr Werner von Rheinbaben.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Wolfgang Stück]]'''<br/><small>(1876–1957)</small><br/>''Acting''
| 9 March <br />1929
| 10 June <br /> 1929 
| <small>{{age in years and days|9 March 1929|10 June 1929}}</small>
| [[Besmenian People's Party]] 
| -
|-
! style="background:#778899;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 2 </span>
| [[File:WilhelmMiklas37840v.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Hans Saalmann]]'''<br/><small>(1873–1960)</small>
| 10 June <br />1929
| 10 June <br /> 1935 
| <small>{{age in years and days|10 June 1929|10 June 1935}}</small>
| [[Besmenian Conservative Party]] 
| [[1929 East Besmenian presidential election|1929]]
|-
! style="background:#0F0FFF;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 3 </span>
| [[File:Georg Heimmann.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Heinrich Friedensberg]]'''<br/><small>(1878–1976)</small>
| 10 June <br />1935
| 10 June <br /> 1941
| <small>{{age in years and days|10 June 1935|10 June 1941}}</small>
| [[Besmenian People's Party]]
| [[1935 East Besmenian presidential election|1935]]
|-
! style="background:#FF0000;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 4 </span>
| [[File:Karsten Herzog.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Hugo Dautzenberg]]'''<br/><small>(1890–1967)</small>
| 10 June <br />1941
| 1 March <br /> 1951 
| <small>{{age in years and days|10 June 1941|1 March 1951}}</small>
| [[Social Democratic Union (Besmenia)|Social Democratic Union]]
| [[1941 East Besmenian presidential election|1941]]<br />[[1947 East Besmenian presidential election|1947]]
|-
|- style="background:#f9e3be"
! style="background:#CCCC00;" |<span style="color:#000000"> - </span>
| [[File:Rudolf Amelunxen - Ausschnitt aus Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F001946-0009, Berlin, Bundesversammlung wählt Bundespräsident.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Bruno Wagner]]'''<br/><small>(1888–1974)</small><br/>''Acting''
| 1 March <br />1951
| 1 June <br /> 1951 
| <small>{{age in years and days|1 March 1951|1 June 1951}}</small>
| [[Liberal Citizen's Party of Besmenia]]
| -
|-
! style="background:#0F0FFF;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 5 </span>
| [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2007-0100, Ernst Lemmer.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Wilhelm Ganswindt]]'''<br/><small>(1896–1971)</small>
| 1 June <br />1951
| 1 June <br /> 1963
| <small>{{age in years and days|1 June 1951|1 June 1963}}</small>
| [[Besmenian People's Party]]
| [[1951 East Besmenian presidential election|1951]]<br/>[[1957 East Besmenian presidential election|1957]]
|-
! style="background:#FF0000;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 6 </span>
| [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J1231-1002-002 Walter Ulbricht, Neujahrsansprache.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Thomas Albrecht]]'''<br/><small>(1892–1973)</small>
| 1 June <br />1963
| 17 January <br /> 1973 †
| <small>{{age in years and days|1 June 1963|17 January 1973}}</small>
| [[Social Democratic Union (Besmenia)|Social Democratic Union]]
| [[1963 East Besmenian presidential election|1963]]<br />[[1969 Besmenian presidential election|1969]]
|-
|- style="background:#f9e3be"
! style="background:#0F0FFF;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> - </span>
| [[File:WL 1978 MdL edited.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Franz Missmahl]]'''<br/><small>(1922–2011)</small><br/>''Acting''
| 17 January <br />1973
| 5 April <br /> 1973
| <small>{{age in years and days|17 January 1973|5 April 1973}}</small>
| [[Besmenian People's Party]]
| -
|-
! style="background:#D3D3D3;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 7 </span>
| [[File:Erwin Pohlnew.png|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Erwin Pohl]]'''<br/><small>(1912–1992)</small>
| 5 April <br />1973
| 5 April <br /> 1985
| <small>{{age in years and days|5 April 1973|5 April 1985}}</small>
| Independent
| [[1973 Besmenian presidential election|1973]]<br/>[[1979 Besmenian presidential election|1979]]
|-
! style="background:#FFFF00;" |<span style="color:#000000"> 8 </span>
| [[File:Otto Schulznew.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Otto Schulz]]'''<br/><small>(1932-2022)</small>
| 5 April <br />1985
| 5 April <br /> 1997 
| <small>{{age in years and days|5 April 1985|5 April 1997}}</small>
| [[Free Besmenian Citizen's Party]]
| [[1985 Besmenian presidential election|1985]]<br />[[1991 Besmenian presidential election|1991]]
|-
! style="background:#FF0000;" |<span style="color:#ffffff"> 9 </span>
| [[File:Thomas Klestil 1.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Gerhard Mahler]]'''<br/><small>(1933-2013)</small>
| 5 April <br />1997
| 5 April <br /> 2003 
| <small>{{age in years and days|5 April 1997|5 April 2003}}</small>
| [[Social Democratic Union (Besmenia)|Social Democratic Union]]
| [[1997 Besmenian presidential election|1997]]
|-
! style="background:#0F0FFF;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 10 </span>
| [[File:Gerhard Schröder (cropped).jpg |75px]]
| <br>'''[[Hans Kiesinger]]'''<br/><small>(1945-)</small>
| 5 April <br /> 2003
| 5 April <br /> 2015
| <small>{{age in years and days|5 April 2003|5 April 2015}}</small>
| [[Besmenian People's Party]]
| [[2003 Besmenian presidential election|2003]]<br />[[2009 Besmenian presidential election|2009]]
|-
! style="background:#32CD32;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 11 </span>
| [[File:2018-06-09 Bundesparteitag Die Linke 2018 in Leipzig by Sandro Halank–108.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Sebastian Bergmann]]'''<br/><small>(1949-)</small> 
| 5 April <br />2015
| 5 April <br />2021
|<small>{{age in years and days|5 April 2015|5 April 2021}}</small>
| [[Green Party of Besmenia]]
| [[2015 Besmenian presidential election|2015]]
|-
! style="background:#0F0FFF;" | <span style="color:#FFFFFF"> 12 </span>
| [[File:PresidentVincent von Schilling2022.jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Vincent von Schilling]]'''<br/><small>(1972-)</small>
| 5 April <br />2021
| 11 January <br />2024
|<small>{{age in years and days|5 April 2021|11 January 2024}}</small>
| [[Besmenian People's Party]]
| [[2021 Besmenian presidential election|2021]]
|-
|- style="background:#f9e3be"
! style="background:#0F0FFF;" |<span style="color:#FFFFFF"> - </span>
| [[File:Kalveram, Esther (SPD-Fraktion Hessen, Christof Mattes) (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Barbara Schröder]]'''<br/><small>(1966)</small><br/>''Acting''
| 11 January <br />2024
| 1 April <br />2024
| <small>{{age in years and days|11 January 2024|1 April 2024}}</small>
| [[Besmenian People's Party]]
| -
|-
! style="background:#FFFF00;" | <span style="color:#000000"> 13 </span>
| [[File:Élisabeth Baume-Schneider (2024, cropped).jpg|75px]]
| <br>'''[[Erika Badt-Springer]]'''<br/><small>(1964-)</small>
| 1 April <br />2024
| Incumbent
|<small>{{age in years and days|2024|4|1}}</small>
| [[Free Besmenian Citizen's Party]]
| [[2024 Besmenian presidential election|2024]]
|}

==Living former presidents of Besmenia==
As of July 2022, there are 2 living former presidents:  
<gallery class="center">
</gallery>
{{Gallery
|title=
|width=150
|height=200
|align=center
|File: Gerhard Schröder (cropped).jpg |[[Hans Kiesinger]] (age {{age|1945|6|2}})<br />(2003–2015)
|File: 2018-06-09 Bundesparteitag Die Linke 2018 in Leipzig by Sandro Halank–108.jpg|[[Sebastian Bergmann]] (age {{age|1949|2|27}})<br />(2015-2021)
|File: PresidentVincent von Schilling2022.jpg|[[Vincent von Schilling]] (age {{age|1972|3|18}})<br />(2021–2024)
}}
==Trivia==
* No former Besmenian president was alive between 1976-1985 and 1992-1997.
* Otto Schulz was the only living Besmenian president twice, first from 1997 to 2003 and then again from 2013 to 2015.
* The oldest Besmenian president when he took office was Thomas Albrecht at 70, the youngest was Vincent von Schilling at 49.
[[Category: Besmenia]]