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Research draft

head of state

vr.tr.head-of-state · SOC.PER

Let an agent handle heads of state as offices with holders, powers, selection and terms, and separate them from heads of government.

Thing Registry Society, people and institutions

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent handle heads of state as offices with holders, powers, selection and terms, and separate them from heads of government.

The person or collective body who holds the highest representative office of a state, such as a monarch or president, with powers ranging from ceremonial to executive depending on the constitution.

What it is for: Representing the state, and in some systems leading the executive.

It can be hold the office, by succession, election or appointment; exercise constitutional powers; represent the state abroad; be removed, where the constitution allows.

Distinguishing features

Highest representative office of a state

Ceremonial or executive depending on system

Distinct from head of government in many systems

Can be hereditary or elected

What it looks like

An office with symbols such as seals, flags and residences; holders appear in official roles.

How it is recognised

Titles such as King, Queen, President, Emir, Sultan

Official residences and standards

Party leaders in some historical systems held effective power without the formal title

Related models

is part of - in many systems

executive branch

is confused with - a separate office in many states

head of government

is held by - the office holder

person

is defined by - powers and selection

constitution

In practice

Families and kinds

monarchs

presidents

collective heads of state

ceremonial and executive heads

historical rulers such as sultans and shahs

Standards and regulation

National constitutions

Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and head of state immunity in customary law

Failure modes and hazards

Confusing head of state and head of government

Out-of-date holder records

Treating de facto leaders as formal heads of state without noting it

Also called

ceremonial head of stateKing of Arakansultan of the Ottoman EmpireshahAmenokalGeneral Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet UnionSecretary General of the Romanian Communist PartyFirst Secretary of the Armenian Communist PartyFirst Secretary of the Communist Party of CubaLeader of the Islamic StateGeneral Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyBundespräsidiumChairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSRemir of KuwaitChairman of the Presidential CouncilLieutenant governor of Jammu and KashmirLieutenant Governor of LadakhKing of Greco-Bactrian kingdomdu tongPresident of the Republic of Kosovacount of Pallars SobiràPresident of the National Government of the Republic of ChinaFirst Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijanmonarch of YugoslaviaMonarch of Great BritainArchduke of AustriaPresident of CambodiaHead of State of Spainmonarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Irelandhead of state of FrancePresident of the Syrian Republic under French mandateYang di-Pertuan NegaraHead of the Imperial House of BrazilMonarch of Luxembourgprotectorhead of state of JapanEmir of Sarakustasultan of Granadaemir of Qàlat al-AyyubSovereign of the Congo Free State

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Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.head-of-state

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Office The post.

The office is defined by the constitution.

Title and state

Which office.

Office

Office and state.

  1. Which state and office is meant? definition
  2. Is it monarchical or republican? definition

Powers

Ceremonial or executive.

Powers

Constitutional powers.

  1. What powers does the office hold? provenance
  2. How do they relate to the head of government? boundary
Selection How holders are chosen.

Selection gives legitimacy.

Method

Succession or election.

Selection

How the holder is chosen.

  1. How is the head of state chosen? definition
  2. For what term? measurement

Removal

Impeachment, abdication.

Removal

How the office ends.

  1. How can a head of state be removed or abdicate? definition
  2. Who acts in a vacancy? definition
Holder Who holds it now.

Holders change; records must track them.

Current holder

Name and since.

Holder

Current holder.

  1. Who holds the office now, and since when? provenance
  2. Is the holder recognised internationally? boundary

History

Predecessors.

Succession

List of holders.

  1. Who held the office before? provenance
  2. How did transitions happen? provenance
Status Immunity and protocol.

Heads of state have special legal status.

Immunity

Legal immunity.

Immunity

Immunity rules.

  1. What immunity does the office carry, under which law? boundary
  2. Does it survive leaving office? boundary

Protocol

Forms of address.

Protocol

Protocol rules.

  1. How is the head of state formally addressed? definition
  2. Which protocol applies to visits? definition

What the second pass must settle

  • Should each state office be an instance linked to the state?
  • How should de facto and de jure leaders be represented?
  • How should historical offices be linked?