Chancellor of Delkora
| Chancellor of Delkora | |
|---|---|
 Federal Coat of Arms | |
| Member of | Cabinet of Delkora |
| Reports to | Federal Parliament |
| Residence | Chancellery Building |
| Seat | Norenstal, Delkora |
| Nominator | Chamber of Representatives |
| Appointer | The Monarch |
| Term length | Four years Renewable indefinitely as long as the incumbent has the confidence of the Chamber of Representatives |
| Constituting instrument | Delkoran Constitution |
| Formation | 1 December 1833 |
| First holder | Edvard af Telberath |
| Salary | 250,000 NSD annually |
The Chancellor of Delkora is the head of government of the Kingdom of Delkora. He or she presides over the cabinet and carries out government policy in the name of the monarch. The chancellor is generally the leader of the largest political party in the Chamber of Representatives in the Federal Parliament, and must be a member of that body. Since 1833, there have been 27 chancellors. The current chancellor, Adric Azengaard, took office in 2014, leading the country's first traffic light coalition consisting of the Liberal Party, National Labor, and the Greens.
History
The position of chancellor was established by the constitution ratified after the Delkoran Civil War. Edvard af Telberath, the first chancellor, set a number of important precedents that were not yet codified, including the concept of the chancellor being first among equals with respect to the cabinet and the notion of ministerial autonomy. Early chancellors, like other federal elected officials at the time, thought of themselves as citizen legislators, and often had another occupation or business to which they attended. It was not until the position of chancellor was made a salaried position in 1857 that it came to be seen as a full-time job.
The office of the chancellor began accumulating considerable power in the 1930's as the federal government grew in size and scope. Historians often remark that chancellors prior to this had been essentially glorified clerks, with little direct power at their disposal. With the rapid emergence of new government offices, however, chancellors increasingly found themselves at the helm of a complex and powerful set of institutions they could directly control to great effect through the managerial powers granted to them by constitutional law. This phenomenon accelerated during the New Kingdom era of the 1960's and 1970's, as the federal government became larger and more influential than at any previous point in Delkoran history.
It was also around this time that observers began noting a change in the relationship between chancellors and the public. Prior to the assassination of Hjalmar Madsen in 1959, it was not uncommon for Delkoran chancellors to go about their daily business unaccompanied by guards and in some cases use public transportation. During some chancellorships, the Chancellery Building was not guarded, and members of the public could walk in and speak with the chancellor if he or she was available. Since 1959, the chancellor's residence has been heavily guarded, and chancellors are always accompanied by Federal Police bodyguards when traveling. Chancellors also now rarely use public transportation, and are provided an official car, plane, and helicopter for travel.
Political scientists have noted a continued growth in the chancellor's powers in recent years, especially in areas related to national defense and domestic security.
Appointment
After convening following a federal election, the Chamber of Representatives works to nominate a candidate for chancellor. The monarch typically gives an exploratory mandate to the leader of the largest party, who then attempts to form a government. Once a government has been formed, the chancellor candidate, who is typically the leader of the largest party, must be approved by a majority vote of the chamber. After being approved, the chancellor candidate is then presented to the monarch, who is constitutionally obligated to appoint him or her. The chancellor can remain in office indefinitely as long as their coalition has a working majority, although they can be removed by a vote of no confidence from the Chamber of Representatives.
Authority
The Delkoran Constitution gives the chancellor the responsibilities of overseeing the day-to-day administration of the federal government, enforcing federal laws, conducting diplomacy on behalf of the Kingdom and negotiating treaties with foreign states, and appointing members of the federal judiciary, ambassadors, and other high-ranking executive officials. In addition, the chancellor has the authority to issue executive decrees that manage the operation of federal agencies and have the force of law until rescinded or superseded by an act of Parliament or struck down by a court order. Although the chancellor retains their seat in the Federal Parliament upon taking office, including voting privileges, they and other members of the cabinet are barred from sitting on committees and are not normally permitted to be present on the floor of the Chamber of Representatives without an invitation from the speaker.
Living former chancellors
As of 2019, there are three living former Chancellors: Emma Jørgensen (age 69), who served from 1994 to 2002, Kol Vossgaard (age 64), who served from 2002 to 2006, and Harald Møller (age 71), who served from 2006 to 2014.