President of Saint-Baptiste
| President of Saint-Jean-Baptiste | |
|---|---|
| Président de Saint-Jean-Baptiste | |
 | |
| Office of the President | |
| Style | The Right Honourable |
| Residence | Place Rose, Port-Anne |
| Appointer | Direct popular vote |
| Term length | Five years Renewable once |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Saint-Baptiste |
| Inaugural holder | Jean-Louis Galopin |
| Formation | 1 July 1947 |
| Salary | $100,000 annual |
| Website | www.president.sb |
The President of Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Principean: Président de Saint-Jean-Baptiste) is the head of state of Saint-Baptiste. Originally the highest post in a presidential republic, the President since the adoption of Saint-Baptiste's 1990 constitution takes the role of equal partner alongside the Prime Minister. The current President is Victor Azaïs, since 2021.
History and role
In Saint-Baptiste's original 1947 constitution, the role of President was granted sweeping powers, including a final veto over the Chamber of Deputies, the creation of the country's cabinet, and only minor checks and balances over the position. The president was initially voted directly by the electorate for a six-year term, renewable once. The passing of the 1948 Security Act overturned much of these checks on power, and Claude-Antoine Bachelet retained the role of President for forty-one years as a de facto dictator.
Democratization and the passing of a new constitution in 1990 has changed the role of President significantly, stripping the position's legislative functions and placing control over most government agencies and decisions in the hands of the newly-created post of Prime Minister. In the present day, the President of Saint-Baptiste acts as the executive head of the state, intended to be the "sober second reader" of legislation and a representative of Saint-Baptiste abroad. The President officially appoints and confirms the Prime Minister and their government, and has the right and responsibility to call elections, including a snap election. They also retain a notable veto power over the Chamber of Deputies, which can be repealed by a two-thirds majority in the legislature.
If the incumbent President is incapacitated or resigns during their term, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, more commonly referred to as the speaker, is appointed Acting President (Président par intérim) until a new election can be held within a hundred days of the vacancy.
List of Presidents
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political party | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Claude-Antoine Bachelet (1894–1988) |
1 July 1947 | 4 September 1988 (Died in office) |
Independent | 1947 |
| – | Martial Haillet (1931–2019) Acting President |
4 September 1988 | 4 January 1989 | PPRN | – | |
| 2 | 
|
Édouard Bachelet (1937–2012) |
4 January 1989 | 2 June 1991 | PPRN (until 1990) PLB (from 1990) |
1989 |
| 3 | 
|
Samuel Lucy (1940–) |
2 June 1991 | 2 June 1996 | Independent | 1991 |
| 4 | 
|
Cyrille Bachelet (1956–) |
2 June 1996 | 4 June 2006 | PLB | 1996 2001 |
| 5 | 
|
Joseph Morin (1950–) |
4 June 2006 | 29 May 2011 | PAREF | 2006 |
| 6 | 
|
Emmanuel Ménard (1949–) |
29 May 2011 | 30 May 2021 | PLB | 2011 2016 |
| 7 | 
|
Victor Azaïs (1976–) |
30 May 2021 | Incumbent | Independent | 2021 |
