Helthon Report

The Helthon Report is a report written by former Associate Arbiter Gunteric Helthon and commissioned by the Nur Pinito Caprici government. The report is highly critical of the state of the executive government during cohabitation between 1688 and 1691, and as a consequence makes several controversial recommendations.

Background

Under the constitution of Sanama, the executive power of the national government is vested in the President and the Council of State, headed by the Chancellor. The Chancellor is appointed by the President from the members of the Llusan. The President is required to appoint a person likely to command a majority in the Llusan. The President is also required to dismiss a Chancellor that has lost the confidence of the Llusan, or who no longer commands a majority. The President may also in certain circumstances dismiss the Chancellor on their own accord. Further, the President has a legislative veto requiring a 60 percent majority to override in the Llusan, and must also consent to all Council of State directives that are not included in the government programme. This lopsided distribution of power in favour of the President contributed to the problems during the period of cohabitation 1688 to 1691.

Proposal

Retired Associate Arbiter Gunteric Helthon proposed in his report the abolishment of the presidency, effective from 1697. The position of head of state was proposed to instead be vested in the Chancellor, as well as the formal position of Commander-in-Chief of the Sanaman Armed Forces. The Presidential veto would not be transferred to the Chancellor, instead the Chancellor would have to rely on their majority in the Llusan to pass and block legislation. A minority government would be heavily reliant on the Llusan. The Speaker of the Llusan would nominate a member to be Chancellor, who would need an absolute majority of votes to be elected. If the candidate was rejected three times, the Speaker could propose a candidate to lead a minority government, only requiring to not be rejected by an absolute majority of the Llusan to be elected. The Speaker would also dismiss the Chancellor or an individual minister in the case of a declaration of no confidence. The Presidential power to dismiss the Chancellor on their own accord in certain circumstances would be removed, allowing removal only when the Chancellor has lost the confidence of the Llusan. The right to dissolve the Llusan and call early elections would be jointly vested in the Chancellor and the Speaker in certain defined circumstances. The Chancellor would be allowed to dissolve the Llusan after losing a vote of no confidence. The Speaker would be required to dissolve the Llusan after having their candidate for Chancellor rejected five times. The newly elected Llusan would then serve for a full term, since the terms no longer need to synchronise with the presidential terms. Helthon also recommended the reestablishment of a Senate, composed of representatives from the provinces or regions, that would provide what he termed "sober second thought" to the proposals from the government and Llusan. Helthon oulined two modes of selection, direct election or election by provincial assemblies, and that the term would again be two Llusans. He proposed that both chambers would need to agree on legislation, but that the government could request that the Llusan make the final decision in cases where the chambers could not reach an agreement.