Governor General of Omerica

Governor General of Omerica
File:Standard of the Governor General of Omerica.svg
Incumbent Christina van der Hout
Style	The Right Honourable (within Omerica) Her Excellency (outside Omerica)
Residence	Palace of the Republic
Seat	Port-des-Saints
Appointer	Federal Diet
Term length	Seven years, non-renewable
Constituting instrument	Instrument of Government
First holder	Arthur Bates
Salary	ƒ780,000 ($156,000) per year
Website	governor-general.gov.or

The Governor General of Omerica (French: Gouverneure générale de l’Omerique) is the ceremonial head of state of the United Republics of Omerica and its highest federal political magistrate. The Governor General acts as the personification of the state and its unity, the defender of national independence and the guarantor of constitutional governance.

The Governor General is indirectly elected by a joint sitting of the Federal Diet for a single non-renewable term of seven years, traditionally coming from a background of civic service and respecting alternation between anglophones and gallophones. During their term in office, the Governor General must suspend partisan affiliations and act above party politics. This distance from partisan politics thus allows the Governor General to influence public debate, voice criticism and offer suggestions in matters of state.

Role

Omerica operates under a parliamentary system, which renders the Governor General a largely ceremonial figure. The Governor General nonetheless holds a number of influential reserve powers, most notable being the power to nominate the Prime Minister of Omerica. However, the nominated Prime Minister must be confirmed by the House of Representatives and, by convention, the Governor General cannot directly dismiss the Prime Minister, which may only be done by the “advice and consent” House of Representatives. This forces the Governor General to choose a Prime Minister acceptable to the majority of the House, though the Governor General may legally, subject to confirmation by the House, nominate a new Prime Minister at any time.

Per the Instrument of Government, which formally constitutes the basis of the organisation of the institutions of state, the Governor General is empowered to:

• Name the Prime Minister of Omerica, subject to confirmation by the House of Representatives;
• Name other federal ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister;
• Name members of the Court of Constitutional Guarantees and other judges, subject to confirmation by the House of Plenipotentiaries;
• Dissolve the House of Representatives and call snap elections;
• Convoke extraordinary sessions of the Federal Diet;
• Grant pardons, commutations and compassionate release to criminals convicted of federal offences;
• Promulgate Acts of the Federal Diet and government decrees;
• Refer treaties or laws to popular referendum or request that the Federal Diet take another reading;
• Act as Commander-in-Chief of the United Republican Defence Forces;
• Declare a state of emergency, provided he/she explains the reason for the declaration to the Federal Diet;
• Declare war on a foreign state, government or other organisation, subject to approval by the Federal Diet;
• Negotiate, sign and ratify treaties and international conventions, subject to approval by the Federal Diet;
• Receive foreign ambassadors and plenipotentiaries;
• Recognise and revoke recognition of foreign states and governments; and
• Award all federal honours.

Except for powers that are subject to the approval of the Federal Diet, all decisions of the Governor General in matters of state must be countersigned by the relevant government minister.

Election

The Governor General is chosen in indirect elections every seven years. Candidates must have been a Omerican citizens for at least twenty-one years (thus implying a minimum age of candidacy of 21) and have lived in Omerica continuously for at ten years within the date of their election—though, by law, absences of 30 days or fewer or on diplomatic assignment do not interrupt residency. Candidates must demonstrate fluency and literacy in both English and French and publicly release a full declaration of personal assets. Additionally, candidates are disqualified if they have previously been elected Governor General, have been an active or reserve member of the United Republican Defence Forces within ten years of the date of their election or have been convicted of electoral offences.

The election of the Governor General is conducted in a joint sitting of the Federal Diet presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who serves as the returning officer for the election, and takes place by secret ballot. A candidate must receive an absolute majority (201 of 400) of votes to be elected, with successive rounds of voting taking place until a candidate is elected. Upon election, the Governor General-elect must take an oath to defend the constitution and sovereignty of the United Republics before the Federal Diet; refusal to swear the oath or taking the oath with a reservation voids the election and requires the Federal Diet to elect a new candidate.

Succession and incapacity

Upon the death or resignation of the Governor General, the Speaker of the House of Plenipotentiaries acts as interim Governor General until a new election can be called. Upon a vacancy in the office, a new election must be organised no sooner than forty-five and no more than ninety days after the vacancy occurs. During this period, an interim Governor General may not dissolve the House of Representatives, call any referendums or initiate any legislation or treaties. Tobias Solberg is the only Speaker to have been called on to serve as the interim Governor General, doing so after the assassination of Just Cartier on 9 May 1962.