President of Surrow

President of Surrow
Coat of arms of Surrow
Incumbent Dwight Timbrell since 16 December, 2018
Style	The Right Honourable
Member of	Parliament
Residence	Government House, Holcot Inlet, Holcot Inlet, Surrow
Term length	Up to four years No term limits
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Surrow
Inaugural holder	Ted Fisher
Formation	24 June, 1950
Deputy	Deputy Prime Minister of Surrow

The President of Surrow (Chequan: Tshishemishku utessit, Itchalnu: Angajuqqaaq nunagijattinnut) is the executive president of Surrow, serving as the country's head of state, head of government, and commander in chief of the Surrowese Armed Forces.

Per the Constitution of Surrow, the President of Surrow is a member of the Parliament of Surrow, with the President serving a term of up to four years, although if Parliament is dissolved earlier, the President is up for election. Furthermore, the President, by custom, is the leader of the largest political party, or otherwise has the most support among the members of Parliament. Thus, presidential elections are indirect, with only those in the constituency where a presidential candidate lives being able to vote for them as President.

Role

Due to the President of Surrow's status as both head of state and head of government, the President of Surrow's roles are analogous to both a non-executive President, and to a Prime Minister. This arrangement was justified when the Constitution of Surrow was being drafted because of Surrow's small population, which would have made a standard parliamentary republic like Rythene was at the time being "too costly prohibitive for the Surrowese treasury to bear," leading to the Prime Minister of Surrow becoming President.

Thus, unlike many Presidents in the world, the President of Surrow has the power to propose laws before Parliament, in his capacity as a member of Parliament, in addition to his role of promulgating laws as head of state. Furthermore, the President oversees the Surrowese cabinet, analogous to a Prime Minister.

However, like many Presidents, the President of Surrow has the power to promulgate laws, to sign treaties on behalf of the Surrowese nation, and exercises supreme command over the Surrowese Armed Forces. The President also sets the agenda for a given session of Parliament, with the President delivering an opening speech to open the session and present the agenda for a given session.

Official residence

Government House, 2006

The official residence of the President of Surrow is Government House in Holcot Inlet. Built between 1827 and 1831 to serve as the residence for the colonial Governor of Surrow, it was meant to emulate a Rythenean country estate, with it designed to be "a dignified residence for a key part of the Rythene Empire."

After Surrow obtained its independence from Rythene, the Surrowese government repurposed Government House into the official residence of the President of Surrow, with some changes made, primarily the addition of an office space for the President to work at. Following the completion of these renovations in 1953, President Ted Fisher moved to Government House from Bradley House, which housed the Prime Minister of Surrow from 1915 until Surrow's independence in 1950.

Since then, almost every President of Surrow has resided at Government House, with the only Presidents to not live at Government House were Gordon Hoffman, who served as acting President in 1987 following the death of Deacon Parker, Charles Menton, who had not finished moving in when he lost the 2014 general election, and Wyatt Martel, who chose to live at his apartment in Holcot Inlet to be "closer to the people." However, all three entertained guests at Government House during their presidencies.

List of Presidents

№	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Days	Election	Political party
1950-present • President of Surrow •
1		Ted Fisher (1900-1991)	24 June, 1950	21 July, 1970	20 years and 27 days	1950 1954 1958 1962 1966	United People's
			Longest serving President of Surrow, with five majority United People's governments. Oversaw an economic boom caused by the discovery of palladium in 1951, and subsequent investment by General Armaments in Albrennia. His autocratic tendencies meant that in 1970, six UPP members crossed the floor to form a coalition with the Alliance of Cooperativists and Trade Unionists, and voted a motion of no confidence against Fisher's agenda, forcing Fisher to resign.
2		Ian Withers (1910-1996)	21 July, 1970	2 March, 1971	7 months and 9 days	1970	ACTU
			Governed with supply and confidence from the breakway Alliance Party, comprised of six members of the United People's Party opposed to Fisher's rule. Attempted to create a strong welfare state, but lost the 1971 budget vote after the Alliance Party voted against it.
3		Isaac Rosenhain (1914-2003)	2 March, 1971	21 February, 1976	4 years, 11 months and 19 days	1971 1975	United People's
			After securing the approval of the Alliance Party, and overseeing the reintegration of the Alliance with the UPP, Rosenhain would win a 1971 snap election. During his tenure, he would attempt to increase efficiencies in government by encouraging the development of more centralised towns to replace the outports. This made him unpopular, and despite winning the 1975 elections, Rosenhain was forced out by a caucus revolt in 1976.
4		Griffin Davidson (1931-2021)	21 February, 1976	8 April, 1982	6 years, 1 month and 18 days	1976 1980	United People's
			As President, Griffin Davidson reversed Rosenhain's policies of reducing investment into the outports, and sought to modernise Surrow's welfare and education systems, although stopped far short of Withers' vision for a Surrowese welfare state. Resigned after giving a racist rant against immigrants in 1982.
5		Deacon Parker (1927-1987)	8 April, 1982	21 June, 1987	5 years, 2 months and 13 days	1982 1986	United People's
			Parker's presidency was marked by a significant downturn in Surrow's fisheries, leading to greater economic diversification as more moved to Holcot Inlet. Was the only President to die in office, dying in a boating accident in 1987.
6		Gordon Hoffman (1928-2015)	21 June, 1987	6 November, 1987	4 months and 16 days	none	United People's
			Served as Acting President following Parker's death in a boating accident. Lost the UPP presidential nomination to Michael Chambers.
7		Michael Chambers (1948-)	6 November, 1987	4 May, 1993	5 years, 5 months and 28 days	1990	United People's
			Continued Parker's policies. Proposed administrative reforms in 1993 to replace the system of counties and districts with regions, which led to his ouster.
8		Trevor Morrow (1948-)	4 May, 1993	26 June, 1995	2 years, 1 month and 22 days	1993	United People's
			Campaigned on a more left-leaning bent, and sought to "return to basics." Was noted for improving old age pensions and instituting a policy of free tuition to all citizens at Surrow University. Was ousted in 1995 for "deviating from the principles" of the United People's Party.
9		Edgar Stirner (1954-)	26 June, 1995	1 July, 2003	8 years and 5 days	1995 1999	United People's
			Instituted "common sense" reforms, reversed Morrow's policies of free tuition in 1996, and sought to improve transportation in Surrow. Oversaw a split between the United People's Party and Trevor Morrow's Our Surrow in 1998. Retired from politics after two terms in 2003.
10		Damian Shirley (1949-)	1 July, 2003	1 July, 2011	8 years	2003 2007	United People's
			Saw declining UPP majorities. Attempted to balance between Morrow's path and Stirner's path, and attempted to reconcile the United People's Party with Our Surrow in 2004. Oversaw improved infrastructure, particularly on Great Island, and improved relations with both Albrennia and the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia. Retired from politics in 2011.
11		Felicity Irving (1952-)	1 July, 2011	11 August, 2014	3 years, 1 month and 10 days	2011	United People's
			First female President in Surrowese history. Initially sought to continue Shirley's policies, but shifted towards implementing socially conservative policies. Led to a caucus revolt that led to her ouster in 2014.
12		Charles Menton (1961-)	11 August, 2014	2 December, 2014	3 months and 21 days	none	United People's
			Was appointed to replace Felicity Irving following a caucus revolt. Tried to secure a mandate in the 2014 election, but was unable to form government, as the Alliance of Cooperativists and Trade Unionists and Our Surrow agreed to form a coalition government.
13		Wyatt Martel (1982-)	2 December, 2014	16 December, 2018	4 years and 14 days	2014	ACTU
			Governed in a coalition with Our Surrow. Created a strong welfare state in accordance with Withers' vision, sought to recognise Chequan and Itchalnu as regionally recognised languages, and sought to improve relations with the indigenous peoples of Surrow. Was defeated in the 2018 general elections.
14		Dwight Timbrell (1970-)	16 December, 2018	incumbent	6 years and 1 day	2018 2022	United People's
			Secured a supermajority government for the United People's Party. Restricted criteria to access the welfare system created by Martel, sought to improve relations with Albrennia, and sought to diversify the Surrowese economy away from palladium mining and fishing.

List of living former Presidents

Since the death of Griffin Davidson in 2021, there have been seven living former Presidents of Surrow.

• 

  Michael Chambers
  served 1987-1993
  born 1948 (age 76)

• 

  Trevor Morrow
  served 1993-1995
  born 1948 (age 76)

• 

  Edgar Stirner
  served 1995-2003
  born 1954 (age 70)

• 

  Damian Shirley
  served 2003-2011
  born 1949 (age 75)

• 

  Felicity Irving
  served 2011-2014
  born 1952 (age 72)

• 

  Charles Menton
  served 2014
  born 1961 (age 63)

• 

  Wyatt Martel
  served 2014-2018
  born 1982 (age 42)