Federal Presidium (Erishlands)
| Federal Presidium | |
|---|---|
| Bondsvorsaitoð (Erish) | |
 | |
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since 5 January 2021 | |
| Style | Mr./Ms. President (informal) His/Her Excellency (diplomatic) |
| Type | Quasi-head of state |
| Abbreviation | BVs |
| Nominator |
|
| Appointer | Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court |
| Term length | Four years, no term limits • The National Minister may be removed by a vote of no confidence from the National Convention. • All three end their term when a new Diet sits, including after a midterm election. |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of the Erish Federation |
| Precursor | Erish Queen |
| Formation | 3 January 1893 |
The Federal Presidium (Erish: Bondsvorsaitoð [ˈbɑn̪ːs̪β̞ᵿˌs̪e̞i̯ːt̪ʰᵿɬ], abbreviated as BVs) is a body established by the Constitution of the Erish Federation as the "moderative" branch of the federal government, consisting of the National Minister, the President of the Federal Council, and the Speaker of the People's Assembly. Its role and function within the Erish political system has been described by observers as a "collective quasi-head of state".
The Constitution of the Erish Federation establishes the Erishlands as a congressional constitutional monarchy, where the National Minister is the head of government and the Queen is the official head of state. However, in addition to the traditional three branches of government, the Constitution establishes a "moderative" branch of government to "ensure faithful accordance to the law and the proper execution of the duties of the state, by mediating between its powers and between it and the public", and vests federal moderative power in the Federal Presidium. Many powers traditionally given to heads of state within parliamentary systems, such as limited pardon and veto powers, are afforded to the Presidium, with the notable exception of foreign policy and ceremonial functions, which are instead attributed to the Queen as advised by the National Minister. By convention, the President and Speaker are much more politically neutral and nonpartisan than the National Minister, and normally refrain from directly commenting on issues of the day.
Under the original Constitution of 1812, the Queen held many of the powers now attributed to the Federal Presidium. She was the "moderative" branch of government, expected to temper state excesses, much like her previous constitutional role in relation to the king. When republican sentiments grew in the late 1800s, particularly in the wake of the Hrautessun Cabinet's government, they ultimately led to the establishment of the Presidium in 1893 as an "advisory" body to the Queen on the exercise of her powers. Ultimately, in 1919, the Federal Presidium was explicitly declared the "moderative" institution of the federal government, and most of the Queen's powers were transferred to it; the same constitutional reforms also made several of these powers exercised on the proposal of the National Minister. Despite the republican direction of the reforms, in the following century, they have become the status quo, with the Presidium exercising most powers of head of state, whilst the Queen remains the official head of state.
Each of the three members of the Presidium is nominated by a particular house of the Federal Diet. The Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court then formally appoints all three to their positions, which makes them ex officio members of the Presidium. These appointments have traditionally been done simultaneously in a ceremonial inauguration before a joint session of the Federal Diet. All three members serve until the next Federal Diet, which is normally four years but may occur earlier if a midterm election is called; the National Minister can be removed and replaced by the National Convention through a vote of no confidence and subsequent nomination of a new National Minister. There are no term limits for any member of the Presidium. Since their inauguration on 5 January 2021, the current members of the Presidium have been National Minister Xairic Gairalcsun, President Taulv Yorlac, and Speaker Melste Hailstesdohter.