President of Onza

The President of Onza is the head of government of the United Democratic Emirates of Onza. The Constitution of Onza, adopted in 1940, stipulates that an election must be held every four years for the Presidency, and Presidents can only serve up to two terms, although Congress voted to waive this rule during the first decade following the adoption. A candidate must secure a plurality of the popular vote in order to be elected to the office. Individuals must first be nominated by a political party that meets the Constitutional requirements for nominating presidential candidates, or otherwise petition with the Federal Election Commission. Voters then vote on election day, which can take place between June and November, via secret ballot to select the next President.

The President serves as the ceremonial head of state, the chief diplomat, the chief politician, and the chief executive of the nation. They are also expected to lay out a set of legislative objectives and work with Congress on meeting them. Contrary to popular misconception, however, the President does not serve as the Commander-in-Chief of the nation's defense forces.

History

The first leader of Onza to use the title of President was Adewale Mudima in 1921. Mudima led a coup to depose then-Pharaoh Faraj El-Ghazzawy after a controversial attempt to return to the pre-DPRO levels of power granted to the Pharaoh by issuing royal decrees again. Following the usurpation, Mudima declared himself to be the President of the DPRO -- likely drawing inspiration from Asuran nations with a president.

Since existing laws and government documents at the time provided no precedent for this new office, the powers were entirely without specification. Mudima compiled a list of powers that he swore to abide by, which included all of the powers granted expressly to the office today with the addition of one -- the power of commanding the military. This formed the basis for deliberations on the level of authority that would be granted to the President during the later Constitutional Councils in 1940.

When the DPRO was abolished in 1940 and the United Democratic Emirates was created, Mudima ran on behalf of the Democratic Socialist Party unopposed and became the first President of Onza, now an office constitutionally established and limited. Notably, however, Mudima served a ten-year term after being elected again in 1948, after Congress voted to waive the term limit stipulations. Nevertheless, Mudima resigned the post in 1950, expressing that he felt in retrospect that nobody should inhabit the office for more than eight years. Thus, the first contested election for the office was held in 1950, when Nazir Karrnison of the Dem Socs defeated Shihab Sa'di of the Liberals and became Onza's second president.

Function

Alongside their cabinet, the President serves as the head of government. Together with their appointed ministers, the President develops a list of legislative goals and works alongside Congress to attain them. Although Congress has no legal obligation to consider these objectives, it's a longstanding tradition that these objectives be considered at the Congress' earliest convenience.

The President is also the ceremonial head of state, meaning that they participate in a wide variety of state traditions and often attend various events domestically and abroad as the representative of the federal government. Although not defined in the Constitution, the expected demeanor associated with this role has been invoked by critics of the President to attack certain behaviors. As a result, the President is now generally expected to maintain a professional demeanor at all times.

As the chief diplomat, the President is responsible for representing the nation when communicating with others and at international events. Since the Mudima Doctrine, the majority of sitting Presidents have had no opportunities to exercise this role, with a few exceptions. Since the Kojo Doctrine, however, this role has grown in its importance to the nation.

It is also the responsibility of the President to ensure that laws passed by Congress and signed are effectively implemented and carried out. The President must sign legislation passed by Congress and reserves the power of veto, which may be overturned by a 2/3rds vote within both chambers of Congress. The President reserves the power to pardon convicted criminals, although this has traditionally been used sparingly.

Although commonly misconstrued, the President does not have the ultimate authority over the national defense force. This power is actually granted to the Vice President, although traditionally the Vice President has yielded this power back to the President. Nonetheless, it is formally vested with the Vice President and not the President.

Since the inception of nuclear weapons, the President has acquired the power to declare a nuclear state of emergency in the nation in the event of a nuclear attack. Once declared, the government moves to various protected facilities and citizens are instructed to follow appropriate emergency protocols.

Election and inauguration

Elections for the presidency take place every four years. Elections are maintained by the independent federal agency, the National Election Commission, which organizes and executes elections at the federal level. Anyone wishing to run for the presidency can petition the NEC to be granted ballot access. In order for such a petition to be accepted, it must garner 10,000 signatures. Alternatively, political parties have the power to nominate a single candidate along with a running mate for vice president to appear on the ballot. Candidates who petition successfully have the power to list any eligible citizen as their running mate.

Federal law mandates that political parties hold primaries that allow Onzaian citizens -- regardless of party registration -- to select the party's candidate for office. Parties are given the discretion to establish a cap on the number of candidates allowed to participate in the primaries.

Once their appearance on the ballot is confirmed, candidates fall under the Presidential Candidate Conduct Act of 1950 -- a law that spells out the protections afforded to individuals seeking the presidency while also prohibiting certain behaviors. In addition, several laws exist that govern the finances of presidential campaigns specifically.

Citizens vote on election day (which generally falls on the second Tuesday in November) to elect a president. However, early ballots are accepted as early as May, and in recent elections, the majority of Onzaians have voted this way, allowing election results to be called long before the formal election day.

Candidates are elected based on a simple plurality vote -- whichever candidate receives the most votes is awarded the presidency. A ceremonial inauguration is generally held a few months prior to 1 January, when the new president officially assumes their role. After the ceremonial inauguration, the president-elect spends time shadowing the sitting president to become familiar with the basic functions of the office. Sometimes, the sitting president will allow the president-elect to make decisions on certain issues that may arise during this shadowing period, particularly when both are of the same party.

On 1 January, the new president officially assumes their new office and the former president surrenders their authority.

Residence

The President lives and works in the Ivory Tower on Al-Khatin Island. The Tower contains bedrooms for staffers as well as numerous office facilities for the cabinet agencies and a few satellite offices for the various Ministries.

Prior to the Ivory Tower's construction in the 1940s, the President lived in their own home and worked from the Capitol Building in Kunta.

In extenuating circumstances, such as significant damage to the Ivory Tower or a state of national emergency, the President may inhabit one of a few subterranean bunkers across the nation. These bunkers are occasionally utilized outside of extenuating circumstances for matters of the highest level of secrecy.

Security

The President is protected by the OCPD's Presidential Task Force (PTF). The PTF consists of a number of seasoned law enforcement and military veterans who accompany the President for the entirety of his time in office. Beyond office, former Presidents are still protected by a personal division of the PTF, although to a much lesser extent than when in office.

The President's travel amenities include a customized-motorcade, a jet, a helicopter, and the right to clear high-speed rails to travel securely between cities. Due to the majority of the President's business taking place off Al-Khatin Island, a ferry is also reserved specifically for the President to travel to and from the island.

List of Presidents

Notably, the UDE does not take official portraits of its Presidents. Thus, the images used are provided by publicists working for the Presidents when applicable, and provided by museums and historical archives posthumously in the applicable cases. Template:Presidents of the United Democratic Emirates