Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Rainier | |
Style | The Right Honourable |
---|---|
Residence | Lennox House, Rainier, Rainier |
Nominator | House of Councillors |
Appointer | President of Rainier |
Term length | 4 years or earlier, renewable. The House of Councillors of Rainier must be dissolved every 4 years or earlier by the Prime Minister. The person who commands the confidence of a majority of members of the House of Councillors will become the Prime Minister. |
Inaugural holder | Alfred Henry Lawson |
Formation | 12th March 1865 |
Salary | £125,000 |
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Rainier (Welsh: Prif Weinidog y Gymanwlad o Rainier) is the chairman of the Cabinet of Rainier and by extension the head of government of Rainier. The current Prime Minister is Alexander Llewellwyn of the Labour Party who took office on the 10th September 2017.
The position of Prime Minister was created upon the granting of dominion status in Rainier in 1865. Since then it has asserted itself as the most powerful position within Rainier's government. In the last 50 years the position of Prime Minister has evolved from a first-amongst-equals to a more presidential office with the ultimate authority over executive affairs. Since the implementation of a republican government in 1988 the Prime Minister is ranked as the third most powerful office in terms of precedence (after the President and the Speaker of the House of Senators) but de facto is recognised as the main executive authority.
The Prime Minister of Rainier is officially appointed by the President, who must appoint a candidate nominated by the House of Councillors. The House of Councillors and House of Senators must both pass a vote of no confidence to remove a Prime Minister.
Unlike many other parliamentary republics the Rainian Prime Minister serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
History[]
Powers and duties[]
Selection process[]
The Prime Minister is nominated by the House of Councillors with a simple-majority ballot being conducted whenever there is a vacancy. Once the Prime Minister's candidacy is approved by a majority of MP's the House of Senators conducts a similar vote - if the House of Senators rejects a nomination from the lower house the President grants Parliament a week to approve of a candidate. If no consensus is reached the lower house's nomination is automatically granted. The President then formally approves of the candidacy - if the President rejects the nomination from parliament the President and parliament are given a week to come to a consensus - ultimately however if no consensus is reached the House of Councillors nomination automatically becomes Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister can only be removed through an impeachment, presenting their resignation to the president or losing a vote of no confidence in both houses of parliament. If one house passes a successful vote of no confidence but the other does not the Prime Minister remains in office. In the role of an immediate vacancy of the Prime Minister the President may appoint a sitting MP to chair a caretaker cabinet until parliament nominates a candidate for prime minister.
Compensation[]
List[]
No. | Name | Took office | Left office | Elected | Political Party | Home state |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fydd Rochester 1819-1893 |
12th March 1865 | 30th September 1871 | 1865 | British Imperial Party | British Columbia |
The first Prime Minister of Rainier Rochester was responsible for signing the act of constitutional federation and forming the first elected government after the 1865 election. Rochester's government was able to create the modern institutions of state such as a bureaucracy, judiciary and government. In the process of federation Rochester promised provinces such as Montana that the federal government would take up Montana's debts - however, the government reneged on the promise after facing economic difficulties of its own and delegated the responsibility to pay off the debt to the Montanan provincial government. Rochester was subsequently defeated as a result at the next election. | ||||||
2 | Alfred Henry Lawson 1825-1888 |
30th September 1871 | 12th May 1882 | 1871, 1877 | Union Party | Oregon |
Formed a majority government after the 1871 election and a minority government after the 1877 election. The Lawson government implemented laissez-faire economic policy, promoted balanced budgets and religious freedom, passing the 1874 Rainian Bill of Rights. However the Long Depression resulted in the government attaining a reputation of economic incompetence whilst the issue of free trade led to opposition with Lawson resulting in his government losing the 1882 election. | ||||||
(1) | Fydd Rochester 1819-1893 |
5th October 1882 | 13th March 1893† | 1882, 1888 | National Party | British Columbia |
The first Prime Minister to serve non-consecutive terms, Rochester formed majority governments after the 1882 and 1888 elections. His second government saw the introduction of the New Economic Policy which introduced a series of tariffs to protect Rainier from Americanisation as well as introduce more worker rights in legalisation such as the Factory Act 1884 which banned child labour. The government also launched the Pacific Railway project which attracted controversy due to the use of imported Chinese labour. Rochester died in office in 1893. | ||||||
Malcolm Russell 1830-1922 |
14th May 1893 | 3rd March 1899 | 1894 | National Party ↓ Conservative Party |
British Columbia | |
3 | ||||||
Becoming Prime Minister following Rochester's death Russell's conservative government formed a majority following the 1894 election. His government in 1895 passed several new tariffs (the National System) but was engulfed in corruption scandals such as the Western Expansion scandal. In 1899 he attempted to further increase tariffs which provoked opposition from his colleagues, leading to Russell to form the Conservative Party which lost the Nationals in the 1899 election. | ||||||
4 | Samuel Battestone 1848-1932 |
3rd June 1899 | 3rd June 1905 | 1899 | Union Party | Cascadia |
Formed a majority government following the 1899 election. The Battestone government championed free trade and economic liberalism Battestone's government launched economical reform decreasing tariffs which provoked opposition from farmers'. His government also attempted to address the "vested interests of corruption" but faced opposition from big business. Under Battestone the government passed the Oriental Exclusion Act 1904 which banned Chinese and Japanese immigration. | ||||||
5 | Hywel Johnston 1845-1916 |
3rd June 1905 | 26th December 1916† | 1905, 1911 | National Party | Montana |
Johnston formed a majority government following the 1906 election, and formed a second one in 1912. Although he campaigned on an pro-tariff platform the government kept the existing system created by the previous government whilst launching investment into industry. The government declared war on Germany in 1914 with Johnston implementing conscription. He died in office in 1916, the last Prime Minister to do so. | ||||||
6 | Joseph Lear 1873-1948 |
26th December 1916 | 17th May 1917 | N/A | National Party | Oregon |
Lear's first government led Rainier during the latter half of the First World War, where his government implementing rationing to as a preemptive measure against the possibility of war in the America's. This move backfired leading to a dramatic collapse of support in his government and resulting in it losing the 1917 election. | ||||||
7 | A. A. Duncan 1860-1929 |
17th May 1917 | 8th September 1926 | 1917, 1922 | Union Party | Cascadia |
A. A. Duncan formed a majority government in both 1917 and 1922. His government carried out major electoral reform, giving the vote both to women and the working class, introducing a proportional voting system and shortened the parliamentary term to four years. His government also introduced sickness benefits and a pension system, beginning the modern welfare state. Duncan represented Rainier at the Paris Peace Conference and spoke in favour of the Racial Equality Proposal in contrast to other British dominion leaders. | ||||||
(6) | Joseph Lear 1873-1948 |
8th September 1926 | 23rd October 1929 | 1926 | National Party | Oregon |
Lear formed a minority government with confidence and supply from independent MP's in 1926. Unlike previous National governments he promoted a policy of free trade and laissez-faire economics. However his government was embroiled in the Northern Lakes mining scandal in 1929 leading to the fall of his government and an early election. | ||||||
Rhys Lawgoch 1881-1940 |
23rd October 1929 | 12th August 1935 | 1929, 1933 | Union Party ↓ National Union Party |
Cascadia | |
8 | ||||||
Lawgoch formed a minority government in 1929 with supply from the Labour party. However a month after taking office his government was faced with the Great Depression which the government responded with with austerity measures. A general strike was held in 1932 which led to the government to pass anti-trade union legalisation. This split the cabinet leading to an early election - although the Union party lost seats, Lawgoch formed a coalition with the National Party and eventually merging the two parties into the National Union party. He resigned due to his massive unpopularity in 1935. | ||||||
9 | Albert W. Moore 1874-1954 |
12th August 1935 | 2nd November 1941 | 1937 | National Union Party | Alberta |
Took office following the resignation of Rhys Lawgoch, Moore's government attempted to deal with the effects of the Great Depression through fiscally conservative policies trimming public expenditure and raising tariffs, leading to a double dip recession. His government won re-election in 1937 and in 1939 declared war on Germany following the start of World War Two. His government lost re-election in 1941. | ||||||
10 | Nicholas Lennox 1880-1966 |
2nd November 1941 | 21st May 1949 | 1941, 1945 | Labour Party | British Columbia |
Formed a majority government after the 1941 election, the first socialist national government in the Americas. Lennox's government declared war on Japan a month after taking office and led Rainier through the Pacific War supporting Sierran and Chinese forces. Lennox's government set the terms for the surrender of Japan personally intervening the ensure the retention of Emperor Shōwa. His government following the war built up the Rainian welfare state but lost the 1949 election over the retention of rationing. | ||||||
(9) | Albert W. Moore 1874-1954 |
21st May 1949 | 17th March 1954 | 1949, 1953 | National Union Party | Alberta |
Returning to the premiership in 1949 as of 2017 Moore is the last Prime Minister to serve non-consecutive terms. The second Moore government retained the mixed economy and welfare state the Labour government had given them although ended rationing, liberalised certain sectors of the economy and cut state expenditure to balance the budget. Moore retried in 1954 being at the time the oldest leader in a western democracy. | ||||||
11 | Edward Henderson 1892-1984 |
17th March 1954 | 30th August 1966 | 1957, 1961, 1965 | National Union Party | British Columbia |
The Prime Minister with the longest single term, Henderson's government oversaw a period of unprecedented economic growth through Keynesian economics, demand management and price and wage controls. The Henderson government launched a national infrastructure programme and developed the Rainian oil sector resulting in the modernisation of Rainier whilst also ending conscription and embarking on a large house building programme. The Henderson government also oversaw a anti-communist, pro-western foreign policy supporting the Vietnam War whilst asserting Rainier as a middle power. He retired on the grounds of poor health in 1966. | ||||||
12 | Mervyn Pryce 1923-1976 |
30th August 1966 | 12th September 1969 | N/A | National Union Party | Cascadia |
Appointed as Prime Minister following the resignation of Edward Henderson. Pryce faced economic slowdown and responded with the decision to devalue the Rainian pound. The government also attempted to deregulate the oil and transport industry but was unsuccessful in its efforts. The only Prime Minister to sit in the House of Senators for his entire tenure. | ||||||
13 | Emyr Phillips 1909-2008 |
12th September 1969 | 13th April 1973 | 1969 | Social Credit Party | Saskatchewan |
Sole Prime Minister to come from the Social Credit party, leading a coalition government with the Labour party. His government presided over several conservative and progressive legalisation, including the abolition of capital punishment, the withdrawal of relations from South Africa, the return of Okinawa to Japan, the introduction of the Health Assistance Programme and the modernisation of Rainian agriculture via the Provincial Plan. However divisions over the Vietnam War within his government led him to deliberately lose a vote of confidence to engineer a snap election. | ||||||
14 | Frederick Joseph 1932- |
13th April 1973 | 28th November 1981 | 1973, 1977 | National Union Party | Alberta |
Formed National Union-led coalition governments following the 1973 and 1977 elections. Attempted to use Keynesian stimulus to deal with stagflation as well as launching the National Energy Plan that attempted to make Rainier self-sufficient for energy needs. Attempted to join the Conference of American States via a referendum in 1976 but the option was rejected by voters. However following cuts to rural subsidies his coalition partner left his government leading Joseph to lose a vote of confidence in 1980 in the House of Councillors, but finished the government's term after the House of Senators voted down the confidence vote. | ||||||
15 | Matthew Griffiths 1938- |
28th November 1981 | 17th December 1991 | 1981, 1985, 1989 | Labour Party | Cascadia |
Formed a government after the 1981 election and won a majority at the 1985 election. The Griffiths government undertook major economic, social and foreign policy reforms including the liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation of much of the economy turning Rainier from a corporatist to free market economy, legalising homosexuality and abortion, the introduction of free university education, strengthening trade unions and recognising the sovereignty of the People's Republic of China. Under his term there were trade disputes with Japan and another referendum on CAS membership which was successful in 1984. In 1990 he held a referendum on a republic which was won by republican supporters. Resigned in 1991 following his election to the presidency. As of 2017 longest serving Prime Minister from the Labour Party. | ||||||
16 | Carwyn Maddock 1934-2016 |
17th December 1991 | 26th March 1995 | 1993 | Labour Party | Cascadia |
Created a coalition government with the Social Credit party following the 1993 election. The [Baghdad Scandal]] led to a drop in support for the government. Continued the economic liberalisation process whilst passing important legalisation regarding first nations rights. A push to start privatising the health sector led to the Labour party to split resulting in Maddock to lose a confidence vote in 1995 necessitating an early election. | ||||||
17 | Gerald Fairbrook 1942- |
26th March 1995 | 12th May 2005 | 1995, 1999, 2003 | National Union Party | Alberta |
Formed the first National Union led government since 1981 following the 1995 election. Fairbrooks government purused welfare and trade union reform whilst also supporting a neoconservative foreign policy participating in the Yugoslav, Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Fairbrook won re-election in 1999 and 2003 but following the TriMet scandal saw his government fall and lose a confidence vote necessitating an early election. Fairbrook resigned following the 2005 election. | ||||||
18 | Diane Hall 1968- |
12th May 2005 | 3rd October 2009 | 2005 | Labour Party | Cascadia |
Led a coalition government with the Green-Left Movement following the 2005 election. In her term Hall's government increased spending whilst also withdrawing troops from Iraq. The government responded with economic stimulus in response to the Great Recession but u-turned in 2009 when it passed a budget significantly cutting public expenditure. Hall resigned following the 2009 election. | ||||||
19 | Andrew Clarkson 1964- |
3rd October 2009 | 10th September 2017 | 2009, 2013 | National Union Party | Alberta |
Formed a majority government following the 2009 election. In his first term his government sought to address the large deficit by pursuing austerity policies cutting government expenditure and raising taxes. Led a coalition government with the Social Credit Party following the 2013 election when his government lost its majority. In Clarkson's second term the government continued austerity policies whilst also pursuing a neoconservative foreign policy. "Cash-for-votes" scandal. Resigned following the 2017 election. | ||||||
20 | Alexander Llewellwyn 1964- |
10th September 2017 | Incumbent | 2017 | Labour Party | British Columbia |
Achieved a minority government in the 2017 election with confidence and supply from the Green-Left Movement. |
Timeline[]
Living former Prime Ministers[]
As of August 2017 there are five former Prime Ministers - Frederick Joseph, Matthew Griffiths, Gerald Fairbrook, Diane Hall and Andrew Clarkson - who are still alive. The most recent Prime Minister to pass away was Carwyn Maddock, who died in 2016 aged 82.