Cabinet (Silofais)
 Seal of the Cabinet | |
| Formation | 3rd of June, 2017 (Following the second Ratification Convention) |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Administrative and deliberative body of the executive branch, led by the Chief Secretary. |
| Purpose | Deliberation of the general matters and policies of the executive branch Coordination among members of their respective powers and duties[1] |
Chairman | Chief Secretary Andrew John Bevolo IV |
The Cabinet of Silofais, also known as the Cabinet of State,[2] is a constitutional body of the executive branch of the Republic of Silofais.
Comprised of the Chief Secretary "and the chief leaders of each Department",[3] the Cabinet is not unlike the French Government: it is nominally responsible for coordinating internal action between departments of the executive branch, as relates to the execution of the Law and domestic policies, and is held collectively to the confidence of the lower house of the legislature.
As the Chairman of the Cabinet, the Chief Secretary recommends the appointment and removal of other members to the President. As well, he signs off on all "decisions, rules and orders" of the body, though such things must also be countersigned by the other secretaries responsible for implementation.
While the Cabinet makes up the high command of the executive branch, it is legally distinct from another similar body, the Council of State; the latter is chaired by the President, and is responsible for more general affairs of state and the execution of international law.
History
The Cabinet as a body was originally established following the first convention to ratify the Silofaisan Constitution; however, following a mass exodus of government officials, a new Constitution was required and subsequently ratified during the second such convention. The Cabinet, therefore, came into being officially during the second convention, as a legally distinct though identical organisation to that created by the first constitution.
Structure
The Chief Secretary is initially appointed by the President at the latter's pleasure, though the latter has no power to remove or undo the appointment. Once installed, the Chief Secretary then at any time recommends the appointment and removal of other members of the Cabinet to the President, who is obliged by law to carry them out.[4]
All Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries and Under Secretaries are ex officio members of the Cabinet, and may be compelled to attend its meetings. The President does not have a seat in the Cabinet.
Composition
| Cabinet | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Office | Department | Incumbent | Term began |
| Chief Secretary | N/A | Andrew John Bevolo IV | June 3, 2017 |
| Secretary of Registry | Registry | Mike L. | June 29, 2017 |
| Secretary of Culture | Culture | Bharadwaj T. | July 7, 2017 |
| Secretary of Treasury | Treasury | Tim K. | August 27, 2017 |
| Director of Annals | Registry | Mark A. | July 7, 2017 |
| Registrar of Law | Registry | Vacant | |
| Clerk of Franchise | Registry | Vacant | |
| Director of Demography | Registry | Vacant | |
Collective Accountability
The Cabinet collectively must maintain the confidence of the Chamber of Delegates, in order to remain in office. Specifically...
- The Chief Secretary can be removed from office only upon...
- His own voluntary resignation;
- His death or removal by impeachment; or
- His resignation forced by either the passage of No-Confidence or the failure of Confidence, as resolved in the Chamber of Delegates.
- All other members of the Cabinet are forced from office only upon...
- The resignation, death or removal of the Chief Secretary for any cause;
- Removal by the President on the Chief Secretary's recommendation; or
- Voluntary resignation.
In case a Cabinet loses the confidence of the Delegates, the outgoing group will stay in office until the new Chief Secretary is summarily appointed and installed.
As well, either house of the National Assembly may "summon ... the Cabinet in whole or in part"[5] in order to scrutinize its actions. (The Assembly also has this authority against the President and "any other person subject to the Law".[6])
Resolutions No-Confidence
In order to sack the Cabinet, the Chamber of Delegates may vote on a Resolution of No-Confidence. Such resolutions must be signed and introduced by at least one fifth of the fixed membership of the Delegates, though no individual Delegate may sign more than two such resolutions during any given period of one year.
The final vote on Resolutions of No-Confidence must take place between 48 hours and seven days after introduction and, if a majority of the fixed membership votes in favor of it, the Chief Secretary and the rest of the Cabinet tender their resignations immediately to the President.
If during any given period of one year three Resolutions of No-Confidence are passed, the President is required to appoint the next Chief Secretary specifically on the recommendation of the Speaker of the Chamber of Delegates.
Resolutions of Confidence
The Chief Secretary, after deliberation by and with the rest of the Cabinet, may make their program, or possibly a general policy statement, an issue of confidence before the Chamber of Delegates. To do so, he introduces a Resolution of Confidence to the Delegates.
The final vote on said resolution must take place between 48 hours and seven days after introduction and, if a majority of the fixed membership votes against it, the Chief Secretary and the rest of the Cabinet tender their resignations immediately to the President.
References