President of Omerica

The President of Omerica (Président de l'Omerique) is the ceremonial of the United Republics of Omerica and its highest federal political magistrate. The President acts as the personification of the state and its unity, the defender of national independence and the guarantor of constitutional governance.

The President is indirectly elected by a of the Estates General 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 President must suspend partisan affiliations and act above party politics.

Role
Omerica operates under a, which renders the President a largely ceremonial figure. The President nonetheless holds a number of influential s, most notable being the power to nominate the Prime Minister of Omerica. However, the nominated Prime Minister must be confirmed by the House of Commons and, by convention, the President cannot directly dismiss the Prime Minister, which may only be done by the House of Commons. This forces the President to choose a Prime Minister acceptable to the majority of the House.

Per the Instrument of Government, which formally constitutes the basis of the organisation of the institutions of state, the President is empowered to:
 * Name the Prime Minister of Omerica, subject to confirmation by the House of Commons;
 * Name other federal ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister;
 * Name members of the Tribunal of Constitutional Guarantees and other judges, subject to confirmation by the House of Plenipotentiaries;
 * Dissolve the House of Commons and call s;
 * Convoke extraordinary sessions of the Estates General;
 * Grant s, s and to criminals convicted of federal offences;
 * Promulgate Acts of the Estates General and government decrees;
 * Refer treaties or laws to popular referendum;
 * Act as of the United Republican Defence Forces;
 * Declare a, provided they explain the reason for the declaration to the Estates General;
 * Declare war on a foreign state, government or other organisation, subject to approval by the Estates General;
 * Negotiate, sign and ratify treaties and international conventions, subject to approval by the Estates General;
 * 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 Estates General, all decisions of the President in matters of state must be countersigned by the relevant government minister.

Election
The President is chosen an every seven years. Candidates must have been 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. Additionally, candidates are disqualified if they have previously been elected President, 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.

Presidential elections are conducted in a joint sitting of the Estates General presided over by the Speaker of the House of Commons, who serves as the for the election, and takes place by. A candidate must receive an of votes to be elected, with successive rounds of voting taking place until a candidate is elected. Upon election, the President-elect must take an oath to defend the constitution and sovereignty of the United Republics before the Estates General; refusal to swear the oath or taking the oath with a reservation voids the election and requires the Estates General to elect a new candidate.

Succession and incapacity
Upon the death or resignation of the President, the Speaker of the House of Plenipotentiaries acts as interim President 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 President may not dissolve the House of Commons, call any referendums or initiate any legislation or treaties. Corneille Duchamps and Tobias Solberg are the only Speakers to have been called on to serve as the interim President, doing so after the resignation of Edgar Ward and the assassination of Just Cartier respectively.