Vice-President of the Government of Nouvelle Alexandrie
| Vice-President of the Government of Nouvelle Alexandrie | ||
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| Seal of the Government of Nouvelle Alexandrie | ||
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| Incumbent | ||
| Fred Strong | ||
| since 1749 AN | ||
| Federal Humanist Party | ||
| Style | His/Her Excellency | |
| President | Jose Manuel Montero | |
| Monarch | Sinchi Roca II | |
| Term | At pleasure of the King | |
| Inaugural holder | Vicaquirao Alvarez | |
| Formation | 1685 AN | |
The Vice-President of the Government of Nouvelle Alexandrie (Alexandrian: Vice-Président du Gouvernement; Martino: Vicepresidente del Gobierno; Wechua: Iskay Kamachiq), commonly known as the Vice-Premier, is the deputy head of government of the Federation of Nouvelle Alexandrie. The office is established by Article 41 of the Proclamation of Punta Santiago, which provides that the King, on the advice of the Premier, shall appoint a Vice-Premier who may represent the Premier during any unavailability.
The Vice-Premier serves as a member of the Council of State, the collective executive body of the Federation. The office has been held by thirteen individuals since the Federation's founding in 1685 AN. The current Vice-Premier is Fred Strong of the Federal Humanist Party, who has served since 1749 AN under Premier José Manuel Montero.
Constitutional basis
Article 41 of the Proclamation of Punta Santiago establishes the Vice-Premiership:
1. H.M the King, on the advice of the Premier, shall appoint a Deputy Premier that may represent the Premier during any unavailability.
2. The Premier may also appoint Special Advisors and Secretaries without Portfolio that may take part in Cabinet meetings. A Royal Decree may transfer powers of the Executive to them, as provided by the law.
The constitutional text grants the Vice-Premier a single explicit function: to represent the Premier during periods of unavailability. The Proclamation does not define what constitutes "unavailability," nor does it establish procedures for succession if the Premier dies, resigns, or becomes permanently incapacitated. These ambiguities have been addressed through political practice rather than constitutional amendment.
Role and functions
The Vice-Premier's formal constitutional role is limited to representing the Premier during unavailability. In practice, the office has evolved to encompass additional functions. Vice-Premiers typically chair Council of State meetings in the Premier's absence, coordinate between executive departments, and serve as a senior political advisor to the Premier.
The position often reflects coalition dynamics. When governments require support from multiple parties or factions, the Vice-Premiership may be offered to coalition partners as part of negotiations. The appointment of Santiago Etienne of Cambio Democrático as Vice-Premier under Augustus Strong in 1693 AN established this pattern early in the Federation's history.
Vice-Premiers have historically come from the Premier's own party when that party holds a strong majority, as seen during the Federal Humanist Party's periods of dominance. When Felipe de Almagro served as Premier from 1708 AN to 1718 AN, his Vice-Premier Gerhardt Eugen Seydlitz was a fellow FHP member, as was Felipe de la Vega under Paolo Antonio Aguilar.
History
Early Vice-Premiers (1685-1703)
Vicaquirao Alvarez, a principal architect of the Proclamation of Punta Santiago, served as the first Vice-Premier from 1685 AN to 1693 AN. King Manco Capac appointed him in a transitional capacity alongside Premier Alejandro Campos as the nascent Federation established its institutions. Alvarez's term was extended by the Federal Constituent Assembly until the first general elections could be held. He was later elevated to Duke of Apurimaq in recognition of his service.
Following the 1693 general election, King Manco Capac appointed Augustus Strong of the Federal Humanist Party as Premier. Strong formed a National Unity Government with Cambio Democrático leader Santiago Etienne as Vice-Premier. This arrangement established the precedent of using the Vice-Premiership to cement coalition partnerships.
When Cambio Democrático collapsed as a political party in 1697 AN, Robert Beaujolais of the Solidarity Party replaced Etienne as Vice-Premier, demonstrating that the position could change hands during a Premier's term to reflect shifting political coalitions.
The Delgado crisis and constitutional precedents (1703-1708)
The Social Democratic & Liberal Alliance won the 1703 general election, bringing Julio Delgado to the Premiership with Itziar Franco as Vice-Premier. Franco became the first woman to hold the office.
The period from 1706 AN to 1708 AN tested the constitutional framework in ways the drafters of the Proclamation had not anticipated. When Premier Delgado became incapacitated, Vice-Premier Franco initially represented him under the authority of Article 41. As Delgado's incapacitation proved permanent, the Federal Assembly faced a constitutional question the Proclamation did not explicitly address: could the Vice-Premier be confirmed as full Premier, or must new elections be called?
The Assembly chose to hold a confidence vote, which Franco won, becoming Premier in her own right. Yuri Allcca Canchasto of the Moderate Caucus, the SDLA's coalition partner, was appointed Vice-Premier.
Franco's government did not survive the SDLA's internal fractures. When she departed office, Jose Miguel Martin became caretaker Premier, with Canchasto continuing as Vice-Premier. Martin, however, failed to win a confidence vote in the Assembly. With no government able to command a majority, the 1708 general election was called, returning the Federal Humanist Party to power under Felipe de Almagro.
Informal precedents established
The Delgado crisis established several informal precedents that have since guided constitutional interpretation:
- The Vice-Premier may represent an incapacitated Premier under Article 41 as an interim measure.
- If the Premier's incapacitation becomes permanent, the Assembly may confirm the Vice-Premier as full Premier through a confidence vote, rather than requiring immediate elections.
- The King retains prerogative to appoint a caretaker Premier when no functioning government exists, though such a caretaker still requires Assembly confidence to continue governing.
- If no candidate can command Assembly confidence, elections must be called.
These precedents have not been codified into the Proclamation. Executive succession in Nouvelle Alexandrie remains governed by political convention rather than explicit constitutional text.
FHP dominance (1708-1729)
The Federal Humanist Party held power continuously from 1708 AN to 1729 AN, a period marked by stability in the Vice-Premiership. Gerhardt Eugen Seydlitz, who had previously served as Premier from 1698 AN to 1703 AN, served as Vice-Premier under Felipe de Almagro for the full decade of his administration.
Felipe de la Vega succeeded Seydlitz as Vice-Premier in 1718 AN under the new Premier Paolo Antonio Aguilar, serving until 1723 AN. Maximilian de Almagro, son of the former Premier, then served as Vice-Premier from 1723 AN to 1729 AN.
Federal Consensus Party government (1729-1739)
The 1729 general election brought the Federal Consensus Party to power under Marissa Santini, ending the FHP's two-decade dominance. Émile Dumont served as Vice-Premier throughout Santini's ten-year tenure, providing continuity through periods of economic difficulty, the East Keltian Collapse refugee crisis, and ultimately the Spring Crisis of 1739.
Return of the FHP and recent Vice-Premiers (1739-present)
Following the 1739 general election, Juan Pablo Jimenez became Premier with Felipe de la Vega returning for a second, non-consecutive term as Vice-Premier. De la Vega remains the only person to have served twice in the office. His five decades of public service ended with his retirement in 1744 AN.
Rawa Vilca, Duke of Salcedo, succeeded de la Vega following the 1744 general election. The Duke brought military experience and strong ties to Wechua regional politics to the position, reflecting Premier Jimenez's emphasis on security credentials.
The current Vice-Premier, Fred Strong, took office in 1749 AN under Premier José Manuel Montero. Strong, a rising figure in the Federal Humanist Party associated with the Pragmatic Humanism tendency, previously served as Secretary for National Mobilisation. He is the great-grandson of former Premier Augustus Strong and grandson of former Premier Felipe de Almagro through his mother's line.
Notable Vice-Premiers
Several Vice-Premiers have left significant marks on New Alexandrian political history:
- Vicaquirao Alvarez (1685 AN-1693 AN): Principal drafter of the Proclamation of Punta Santiago and first Vice-Premier. Later created Duke of Apurimaq.
- Itziar Franco (1703 AN-1707 AN): First woman to serve as Vice-Premier. Later became the first woman Premier after winning a confidence vote following Premier Delgado's incapacitation.
- Gerhardt Eugen Seydlitz (1708 AN-1718 AN): Only person to serve as both Premier (1698 AN-1703 AN) and subsequently as Vice-Premier under a different Premier.
- Felipe de la Vega (1718 AN-1723 AN, 1739 AN-1744 AN): Only person to serve two non-consecutive terms as Vice-Premier. Career in government spanned five decades.
- Maximilian de Almagro (1723 AN-1729 AN): Son of Premier Felipe de Almagro, representing early dynastic patterns in New Alexandrian politics.
- Fred Strong (1749 AN-present): Great-grandson of Premier Augustus Strong and grandson of Premier Felipe de Almagro, continuing family political traditions into the third generation.
List of Vice-Presidents
See also
- President of the Government of Nouvelle Alexandrie
- Council of State of Nouvelle Alexandrie
- Proclamation of Punta Santiago
- Government and politics of Nouvelle Alexandrie
