President of Wales
| President of the Welsh Republic | |
|---|---|
| Llywydd y Weriniaeth Gymreig | |
Incumbent Luke Davies since 9 January 2023 | |
| Office of the President | |
| Style | Mr President (informal) His Excellency (formal) |
| Type | Head of State |
| Abbreviation | POWR |
| Member of | Council of State |
| Appointer | National Assembly |
| Inaugural holder | Luke Davies |
| Formation | 9 January 2023 |
| First holder | Luke Davies |
The President of Wales, officially the President of the Welsh Republic, is the head of state of the Welsh Republic and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The president is elected by the National Assembly and serves a largely ceremonial role.
The current president is Luke Davies.
History
The presidency was first established on 9 January 2023 and was a fairly powerful office as the nation was under a presidential republic. However, the nation transitioned into a parliamentary republic so the presidency became more ceremonial.
Powers and Duties
The Welsh Republic is under a parliamentary republic. The president serves as a mostly ceremonial office, however is granted some powers in helping oversee the management and governance of the nation. However, they are typically advised how to exercise much of their power by the Council of State.
Regular Powers
- Appointing the Government
- Appointing the Judiciary
- Convening and Dissolving the National Assembly
- Signing Bills Into Law
- Represents the State in Foreign Affairs
- Power of Pardon
- Granting Honours
Discretionary Powers
- Dissolving of the National Assembly
- Declining to Ascent to a Bill
- Referral of the Bills to the Supreme Court
- Address to the Nation
Special Limitations
The major limitation of the presidency is the requirement to have the Government's consent to address the nation or the national assembly.
Election
The president is elected and appointed to office by the National Assembly. Candidates are nominated by the parties that sit in the assembly and each party is permitted to nominate no more than one single candidate for office.
The national assembly then votes on the candidates. To win the election, a candidate needs a simple majority of the votes.
If when a presidential election is taking place, there is also a general election ongoing then the president is elected by direct election by the public.
Absence
There is no longer a Vice President office in the Welsh Republic. In the event of a premature vacancy in the presidency, a successor must be elected within six days. In a vacancy or where the president is unavailable, the duties and functions of the office are carried out by a presidential commission, consisting of the chief justice, the President of the National Assembly, and the Prime Minister. Routine functions, such as signing bills into law, are fulfilled by the presidential commission when the president is abroad on a state visit.
Styles of Address
The president is commonly informally referred to as "Mr/Madam President" and formally as "His/Her Excellency" or sometimes directly as "Your Excellency".
Inauguration
The inauguration ceremony takes place on the day that the prior president's term expires.
To highlight the significance of the event, all key figures in the executive (the government of the Welsh Republic), the legislature (National Assembly) and the judiciary attend, as do members of the armed forces and other invited guests.
Impeachment
The president can be removed from office in two ways, neither of which has ever been invoked. The Supreme Court, in a sitting of at least five judges, may find the president "permanently incapacitated" and thus unfit for office, while the National Assembly may remove the president for "stated misbehaviour".
The national assembly can begin impeachment trials after passing an Impeachment Act, which does not require the president's signature. An Impeachment Act, unlike other bills, require a minimum of 2/3 of votes in favour of the act to pass.