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Zachary Hudson

Federal President Zachary Hudson

The President of the Federation is the elected head of state and head of government of the Federation. The incumbent President of the Federation is Zachary Hudson.

Executive powers[]

The President of the Federation is the head of the executive branch of the Federal government and is constitutionally obligated to take care that Federal laws are faithfully executed. Aside from administrative and juridical powers, one of the most important powers is the President's role as the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the Federation when called into the actual service of the Federation.[1] Senior advisors in the Federal Navy advise the President on military matters.[2]

Vice President[]

The Vice President of the Federation is the first-in-line for the presidency in the Federal order of succession. In the event that the President is no longer able to serve, the Vice President takes over as Acting President.[3] Vice Presidents may also author and propose legislation before Federal Congress.[4]

The President has the authority to select and appoint their Vice President. In the event that a Vice President dies or otherwise leaves office, the President is required by law to appoint a new Vice President within 30 days.[5]

Federal Cabinet[]

The President appoints a Cabinet to oversee key departments of the government. Cabinet positions include the Secretary of State, who is second-in-line in the Federal order of succession after the Vice President,[3] the Fleet Admiral of the Federal Navy,[6] the Secretary of State for Finance,[7] the Secretary of Security,[8] and the Grand Attorney.[9]

Shadow Presidents who are elected to the presidency usually bring most members of their Shadow Cabinets with them into the new administration.[10]

Eligibility[]

Any adult Federal Citizen can participate as a candidate in a presidential election.[11][12] A person who meets these requirements is disqualified if he or she has already been elected Federal President once. Candidates do not need to be backed by the Republican or Liberal parties or a minor faction, but it helps. Usually corporations and special interest groups push and fund their chosen candidates. A Congressman can and often does become Federal President immediately after completing a term as a Congressman.[13]

Tenure and succession[]

The Federal President is elected for a single term of eight years by the citizens of the Federation; Federal Presidents are barred from serving multiple consecutive terms.[11][14] The eight-year term rule was enacted by Federal Congress in 2594 as the 77th amendment to the Federal Accord.[15] After an election, the president-elect is sworn into office as the Federal President during the Federation Presidential Inauguration.[10]

Four years into a President's term, a vote of no confidence is automatically held in Congress. If the incumbent President wins the vote, then he or she may continue the rest of their term. If the incumbent loses the vote, he or she is immediately removed from office. The current Shadow President, the leader of the opposing political party, is then given the opportunity to form an administration, which is also put to a vote in Congress. If the Shadow President's administration is approved, he or she is inaugurated as the next Federal President, but if it is rejected, then a full presidential election is triggered.[16][13][15] It is very rare for a Shadow President to succeed an ousted Federal President; Zachary Hudson and Antonia Madison are the two most recent individuals to have achieved the Federal Presidency under these circumstances.[16]

In the event that a Federal President is no longer able to serve, then the Vice President takes over as Acting President, and if the Vice President is likewise unavailable, then the Secretary of State is next in the line of succession. On May 26, 3301, both Federal President Jasmina Halsey and Vice President Ethan Naylor went missing with the disappearance of Starship One. Secretary of State Felicia Winters became the Acting President.[17][3] Following a vote of no confidence on June 2, 3301, the still-missing Jasmina Halsey was removed from office and Shadow President Zachary Hudson was approved by Congress to succeed her as President of the Federation.[10] Hudson faced a vote of no confidence in 3305 and won by a slim margin, entitling him to remain in office until the end of his term in 3309.[18]

On February 4, 3308, President Hudson had Lana Berkovich, his Secretary of State, ask Congress to approve a temporary suspension of presidential term limits so that Hudson could remain in office beyond June 3309. Berkovich claimed this was a pragmatic measure to ensure stability in the Federation through potential crises in the coming years.[19] The proposal came to be known as the Hudson Contravention, and if approved, it would repeal the 77th amendment to the Federal Accord and allow Hudson to run for a second term in the 3309 election.[14][20]

Residence[]

The White House in Olympus Village on Mars is the official residence of the President of the Federation.[21] It contains the president's office and various other facilities necessary for the running the Federation's day-to-day affairs. Presidents and their staff frequently hold press conferences at the White House. It is also used for social and diplomatic occasions.

The White House is the second such Federal government structure to go by this name, the first being the residence in Washington, D.C. originally used by presidents of the United States of America on Earth. The first White House remained in use after the United States evolved into the United States of the Americas and then the Federation until sometime after the Achenar crisis of 2325, when it was vacated and the Federation moved its capital from Washington to Olympus Village.[22]

Travel[]

Starship One is the official designation of the personal transport of the President of the Federation. Two Narwhal Liner luxury passenger vessels served in the capacity of Starship One from 3296 to 3302. After a Starship One Narwhal carrying former President Jasmina Halsey was lost in 3301, the remaining Narwhal Liner was later replaced by two modified Farragut-Class Battle Cruisers to meet the safety needs of President Zachary Hudson.[23] A single Starship One Farragut can be seen orbiting Mars.

Protection[]

The Presidential Protection Detail is responsible for the safety of the sitting President, Vice President, and their families. The PPD consists of a number of trained bodyguards.[24]

While the President, Vice President, or other important Federal officials are traveling in space, their transport flies in Wing formation with a squadron from Guardian Wing, a special division of the Federal Navy.[25]

List of known Federal Presidents[]

The complete list of Presidents is too numerous to mention here, so only those who made a name for themselves in intergalactic affairs are listed.[26]

Name Term Notes
Sadiq Kessler 2599 - 2607 [26]
Isaac Gellan 2862 - 2866 Disgraced, lost Vote of No Confidence[26]
Olaf Smith 2866 - 2874 [26]
Jeremy Tann 2874 - 2882 [26]
Verity Campbell 2956 - 2960 Lost Vote of No Confidence[26]
Ulrich Vale 2968 - 2976 [26]
Grant Keller 2976 - 2984 [26]
Tyrell Biggs 3008 - 3016 [26]
Varian Scott 3144 - 3152 [27]
Loric Trander 3184 - 3192 [26]
Eugene Cooper 3260 - 3264 Unpopular, lost Vote of No Confidence[26]
Antonia Madison 3264 - 3272 [26]
Jasmina Halsey 3300 - 3301 Disappeared, lost Vote of No Confidence on June 2, 3301
Zachary Hudson June 2, 3301 - Present Incumbent President

List of known Vice Presidents[]

Name Term Notes
Nigel Smeaton 3300 - January 12, 3301 Died in an apparent swimming pool accident at his home on Mars. Data packages alleged that he was murdered for investigating the Highliner Antares incident.[28][29]
Ethan Naylor February 20, 3301 - May 26, 3301 First Vice President who hailed from a frontier world. Previously the Congressman for the Siren system.[30] Perished in the Starship One disaster.
Brad Mitchell June 11, 3301 - March 11, 3307 A successful businessman, worked as President of Sales at Reyan BPS before getting into politics. Popular in the Federation's frontier colonies.[31] Killed in the NMLA bombing of Li Qing Jao.[32]
Jerome Archer March 24, 3307 - Present Served as Secretary of Security in President Hudson's Cabinet. Before becoming a Congressman, he was the Director of the Federal Intelligence Agency and had extensive experience in law enforcement.[8]

References[]

  1. GalNet: Hudson Attacks President's History
  2. GalNet: Hudson Takes Tour of Brightlight Facilities in Hors
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 GalNet: Federal State of Emergency: Winters Declared Acting President
  4. GalNet: Federal Congress Grants Emergency Surveillance Powers
  5. GalNet: Investigation into VP Death Inconclusive
  6. GalNet: Halsey Suggests Motivation for Assassination Attempt
  7. GalNet: Federal Crackdown in Banki and BD+03 2338
  8. 8.0 8.1 GalNet: New Federal Vice President Selected
  9. GalNet: Hudson Contravention Sparks Federal Protests
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 GalNet: Zachary Hudson Becomes the New President of the Federation
  11. 11.0 11.1 Elite Dangerous: Story/Galactic Superpowers
  12. The Federation Sourcebook, EDRPG
  13. 13.0 13.1 Frontier Forums: Governments and politics in Elite Dangerous by Michael Brookes
  14. 14.0 14.1 GalNet: Federation Divided by Hudson's Proposal
  15. 15.0 15.1 Tourist Spot 0180, "Congressional Streamlining"
  16. 16.0 16.1 GalNet: A Vote of Congressional Confidence
  17. GalNet: President Misses Meeting
  18. GalNet: Political Turmoil for President Hudson
  19. GalNet: Hudson Attempts to Remove Presidential Limit
  20. GalNet: Hudson Refutes 'Dictatorship' Concerns
  21. GalNet: Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Respond to Discovery
  22. Tourist Spot 0178, "Relocation"
  23. GalNet: Galactic News: Presidential Vessel Retired
  24. GalNet: President's Bodyguard Found Murdered
  25. GalNet: Federal Search Efforts Continue
  26. 26.00 26.01 26.02 26.03 26.04 26.05 26.06 26.07 26.08 26.09 26.10 26.11 Tourist Spot 0201, "Notable Presidents"
  27. Elite Dangerous Knowledge Base > The Federation > Military
  28. GalNet: Federal Vice President Dies in Swimming Accident
  29. GalNet: Antares Incident Links to VP's Death?
  30. GalNet: New VP Appointed
  31. GalNet: Who is Brad Mitchell? The New Federal VP!
  32. GalNet: Starport Bombing Casualties Include Federal Vice President
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