Head of State

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A head of state is an official who holds the highest position in a governance system of the state and has the vested powers to act as the chief public representative of a country. Heads of state in most countries are natural persons. In some countries however the office of the head of state is held by a body of persons (“collective head of state”).

The role of the head of state generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of state in the country's constitution and laws. In nation states the head of state is often thought of as the official “leader” of the nation.

Charles de Gaulle described the role he envisaged for the French president when he wrote the modern French constitution, stating the head of state should embody “the spirit of the nation” for the nation itself and the world: une certaine idée de la France (a certain idea about France). Today, many countries expect their head of state to embody national values in a similar fashion.

• Executive Branch

• Head of State

• Dictator

• Monarch

• President

• Government

• Head of government

• Chancellor

• Chief Executive

• Chief Minister

• First Minister

• Premier

• Prime Minister

• Cabinet

• Ministry

• Minister

• Presidential system

• Semi-presidential system

• Cohabitation

• Parliamentary System

• Westminster System

• National leaders

• National governments

• Governor

• Mayor

• Politics Portal

The same role in a federal constituent and a dependent territory is fulfilled by the corresponding office equivalent to that of a head of state. For example, in each Canadian province the role is fulfilled by the Lieutenant Governor, whereas in most British Overseas Territories the powers and duties are performed by the Governor. The same applies to Australian states, Indian states, etc. Hong Kong's constitutional document, the Basic Law, for example, specifies the Chief Executive as the head of the special administrative region, in addition to his role as the head of government. These non-sovereign-state heads, nevertheless, have limited or no role in diplomatic affairs, depending on the status and the norms and practices of the territories concerned.

Points for Discussion

1 Constitutional Models

1.1 Non-executive Head of State

1.2 Parliamentary System

1.3 Semi-presidential Systems

1.4 Presidential System

1.5 Single-Party States

1.6 Complications with Categorization

2 Roles of Heads of State

2.1 Symbolic Role

2.2 Chief Diplomatic Officer

2.3 Chief Executive Officer

2.3.1 Chief Appointments Officer

2.3.2 Military Role

2.4 Legislative Roles

2.5 Summoning and Dissolving the Legislature

2.6 Other Prerogatives

2.6.1 Granting Nobility, Knighthood and Various Titles and Other Honors

2.6.2 Immunity

2.6.3 Reserve Powers

2.6.4 Right of Pardon

3 Selection and Various Types and Styles of Heads of State

3.1 Shared and substitute heads of state

3.1.1 Interim

3.1.2 Delegation

3.1.3 Extraordinary arrangements

3.2 Religious heads of state

3.2.1 Christianity

3.2.2 Islam

3.2.3 Hinduism

3.2.4 Buddhism

3.3 City states and crowned republics

3.4 Multiple or collective Heads of State

3.5 Unique cases and titles

4 Legitimacy

4.1 By fiction or fiat

4.2 By divine appointment

4.3 By social contract

4.4 By constitution

4.5 By hereditary succession

4.6 By election

4.7 By appointment

4.8 By force or revolution

4.9 By foreign imposition

4.10 Loss