Prime Minister of Erealand

The Prime Minister of Erealand is the head of government of Erealand. They advise the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, serve as Member of Parliament, chair the Cabinet and select its ministers.

The Prime Minister is appointed by the Erealandian monarch, currently Alexander I. Their position is not established by any statute or constitutional document, but exists only by long-established convention, whereby the reigning monarch appoints as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons; this individual is typically the leader of the political party or coalition of parties that holds the largest number of seats in that chamber.

Gabriel McKenna is the ??th and current Prime Minister since June 13, 2017.

Role and powers

As the head of the Erealandian government, the Prime Minister leads the Cabinet and often, a major political party, generally commanding a majority in the House of Commons. The incumbent wields both significant legislative and executive powers.

In the House of Commons, the prime minister guides the law-making process with the goal of enacting the legislative agenda of their political party. In an executive capacity, the prime minister appoints (and may dismiss) all other Cabinet members and ministers, and co-ordinates the policies and activities of all government departments. The prime minister also acts as the public "face" and "voice" of His Majesty's Government, both at home and abroad. Solely upon the advice of the prime minister, the sovereign exercises many statutory and prerogative powers, including high judicial, political, official and ecclesiastical appointments; the conferral of peerages and some knighthoods, decorations and other important honours.

Constitutional background

The Erealandian system of government is based on an uncodified constitution, meaning that it is not set out in any single document. The Constitution consists of many documents and most importantly for the evolution of the office of the prime minister, it is based on customs known as constitutional conventions that became accepted practice.

The relationships between the Prime Minister and the Sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet are defined largely by the unwritten conventions of the constitution. Many of the Prime Minister's executive and legislative powers are actually royal prerogatives which are still formally vested in the sovereign, who remains the head of state. Despite its growing dominance in the constitutional hierarchy, the premiership was given little formal recognition until the 20th century; the legal fiction was maintained that the sovereign still governed directly. During the 20th century, the office and role of prime minister was increasingly featured in statute law and official documents; however, the prime minister's powers and relationships with other institutions still largely continue to derive from ancient royal prerogatives, as well as historic and modern constitutional conventions.

Under this arrangement, Britain might appear to have two executives: the premier and the Sovereign. The concept of "the Crown" resolves this paradox while symbolizing the state's authority to govern: to make laws and execute them, impose taxes and collect them, declare war and make peace. Prior to the 17th century, the sovereign exclusively wielded the Crown's powers; afterwards, Parliament gradually forced monarchs to assume a neutral political position. Parliament has effectively dispersed the powers of the Crown, entrusting its authority to responsible ministers (the Prime Minister and Cabinet), accountable for their policies and actions to Parliament, in particular the elected House of Commons.

Although many of the sovereign's prerogative powers are still legally intact, constitutional conventions have removed the monarch from day-to-day governance, with ministers exercising the royal prerogatives, leaving the monarch in practice with three constitutional rights: to be kept informed, to advise and to warn.