View source for President (government title)

{{Short description|Title of the head of state in various governments}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2017}}
[[File:President George W. Bush Meets with Former Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and President-Elect Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House - DPLA - 8f2f33d64f72a6eb1b0471ba20da87f6.jpg|thumb|Five [[American president]]s in the [[White House]] in 2009<br>(Left to right: [[George H. W. Bush]], [[Barack Obama]], [[George W. Bush]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Jimmy Carter]])]]
{{Executive}}

'''President''' is a common title for the [[head of state]] in most [[republic]]s. Depending on the country, a president could be [[head of government]], a ceremonial figurehead, or something between these two extremes.

The functions exercised by a president vary according to the form of [[government]]. In [[parliamentary republic]]s, they are usually, but not always, limited to those of the head of state and are thus largely ceremonial. An exception to this would be [[Presidential parliamentary republic|presidential-parliamentary republics]] (e.g. [[Botswana]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Allard |first1=P |title=Government social advertising and ethno-politics in a small, ethnically diverse nation |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324005565 |website=ResearchGate |access-date=17 April 2019 |date=2016|page=67}}</ref> and [[South Africa]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 – Chapter 5: The President and National Executive|website=Gov.za|url=https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution-republic-south-africa-1996-chapter-5-president-and-national-executive|date=2012|access-date=17 April 2019}}</ref>), the role of the president is more prominent, encompassing more of the functions of a [[head of government]].<ref name="Comparative-Exec-Leg-relat">{{cite book |author1=Shugart, MS |editor1-last=Binder |editor1-first=SA |editor2-last=Rhodes |editor2-first=RAW |editor3-last=Rockman |editor3-first=BA |title=The Oxford handbook of political institutions |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-199548460 |url=https://calgara.github.io/Pol1_Fall2017/Shugart%202016.pdf |access-date=17 April 2019 |chapter=Comparative Executive–Legislative Relations|year=2008 |pages=344–365 |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199548460.003.0018}}</ref> In [[semi-presidential system|semi-presidential republics]], the president has some discretionary powers like over foreign affairs, appointment of the head of government and defence, but they are not themselves head of government.<ref name="Comparative-Exec-Leg-relat"/> A leader of a [[one-party state]] may also hold the position of president for ceremonial purposes or to maintain an official state position.<ref>{{cite web |title=The President, Our Government |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-executive-branch/#:~:text=The%20President%20is%20both%20the,the%20laws%20created%20by%20Congress. |publisher=The White House |access-date=26 April 2021}}</ref>

[[Style (form of address)|Styles]] such as "'''Mr. President'''"<ref>{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Stephen P.|title=How to Be President |pages=56 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e66922pfFB0C&q=title+%22Mr.+President%22+%22Madam+President%22&pg=PA56 | isbn=978-0-8118-4316-4 | year=2004 | publisher=Chronicle Books}}</ref> or "'''Madam President'''"<ref>{{cite journal|last=Safire|first=William|date=November 24, 1991|title=On Language; Manhandling the Handlers|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE7DC103AF937A15752C1A967958260 | journal=The New York Times}}</ref> may apply to a person holding the title of president or presiding over certain other governmental bodies.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1945/05/13/archives/mr-president-is-correct.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|last=Wood|first=Lewis|date=May 13, 1945|title=Mr. President Is correct}}</ref> "Mr. President" has subsequently been used by governments to refer to their heads of state. It is the conventional translation of non-[[English (language)|English]] styles such as ''Monsieur le Président'' for the [[president of the French Republic]]. It also has a long history of usage as the title of the presiding officers of legislative and judicial bodies. The [[speaker of the House of Commons of Canada]] is addressed as ''président(e) de la Chambre des communes'' in French and as ''Mr. Speaker'' or ''Madam Speaker'' in English.

==History==
The title ''president'' is derived from the [[Latin]] ''prae-'' "before" + ''sedere'' "to sit". The word "presidents" is also used in the [[King James Bible]] at [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]] 6:2 to translate the [[Aramaic]] term סָרְכִ֣ין ''(sā·rə·ḵîn)'', a word of likely Persian origin, meaning "officials", "commissioners", "overseers" or "chiefs". As such, it originally designated the officer who presides over or "sits before" a gathering and ensures that debate is conducted according to the [[rules of order]] (''see also'' [[chairman]] and [[Speaker (politics)|speaker]]), but today it most commonly refers to an executive official in any social organization. Early examples are from the universities of [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] (from 1464) and the founding [[president of the Royal Society]], [[William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker|William Brouncker]], in 1660. This usage survives today in the title of such offices as "[[President of the Board of Trade]]" and "[[Lord President of the Council]]" in the [[United Kingdom]], as well as "President of the Senate" in the [[United States]] (one of the roles constitutionally assigned to the [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]]). The officiating priest at certain [[Anglican Communion|Anglican]] religious services, too, is sometimes called the "president" in this sense.

The most common modern usage is as the title of a [[head of state]] in a [[republic]]. The first usage of the word ''president'' to denote the highest official in a government was during the [[Commonwealth of England]].

===Commonwealth===

[[Thomas Hungerford (speaker)|Thomas Hungerford]], first recorded [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|speaker of the English House of Commons]] in the rolls of the [[Parliament of England]] in 1376/7,<ref>{{cite book |first=Simonds |last=d'Ewes |chapter=Journal of the House of Commons: January 1559 |title=The Journals of All the Parliaments During the Reign of Queen Elizabeth |location=Shannon, Ireland |date=1682 |page=37-44 |via=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/jrnl-parliament-eliz1/pp37-44}}</ref><ref name=Lee-257-8>Lee Vol 28, pp. 257,258.</ref>, used the title, "Mr. Speaker", a precedent followed by subsequent speakers of the House of Commons.

After the abolition of the monarchy, the English [[English Council of State|Council of State]], whose members were elected by the House of Commons, became the [[executive (government)|executive]] government of the Commonwealth. The Council of State was the successor of the [[Privy Council]], which had previously been headed by the [[Lord President of the Council|lord president]]; its successor the Council of State was also headed by a lord president, the first of which was [[John Bradshaw (judge)|John Bradshaw]]. However, the lord president alone was not head of state, because that office was vested in the council as a whole.

The [[speaker of the House of Commons of Canada]], established in 1867, is also addressed as "Monsieur le Président" or "Madame la Présidente" in French.

===France===
In pre-revolutionary [[Kingdom of France|France]], the president of a ''[[Parlement]]'' evolved into a powerful [[magistrate]], a member of the so-called ''[[noblesse de robe]]'' ("[[nobility]] of the gown"), with considerable judicial as well as administrative authority. The name referred to his primary role of presiding over trials and other hearings. In the 17th and 18th centuries, seats in the ''Parlements'', including presidencies, became effectively hereditary, since the holder of the office could ensure that it would pass to an heir by paying the crown a special tax known as the ''[[paulette (tax)|paulette]]''. The post of "first president" (''premier président''), however, could be held by only the [[King of France|King]]'s nominees. The ''Parlements'' were abolished by the [[French Revolution]]. In modern France the chief judge of a court is known as its president (''président de la cour'').

By the 18th century, the president of a [[France|French]] [[parlement]] was addressed as "Monsieur le Président". In [[Pierre Choderlos de Laclos]]'s 1782 novel ''[[Les Liaisons dangereuses]]'' ("Dangerous Liaisons"), the wife of a magistrate in a parlement is referred to as Madame la Présidente de Tourvel ("Madam President of Tourvel"). The fictional name Tourvel refers not to the ''parlement'' in which the magistrate sits, but rather, in imitation of an aristocratic title, to his private estate. This influenced parliamentary usage in France. When the [[Second French Republic]] was established in 1848, "Monsieur le Président" became the title of the president of the French Republic.

===United States===
{{Further|President of the United States}}
The modern usage of the term ''president'' to designate a single person who is the [[head of state]] of a [[republic]] can be traced directly to the [[United States Constitution]] of 1787, which created the office of [[president of the United States]]. Previous American governments had included "presidents" (such as the [[president of the Continental Congress]] or the president of the [[Massachusetts Provincial Congress]]), but these were presiding officers in the older sense, with no executive authority. It has been suggested that the executive use of the term was borrowed from early American colleges and universities, which were usually headed by a ''president''. British universities were headed by an official called the "[[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]]" (typically a ceremonial position) while the chief administrator held the title of "[[Vice-Chancellor]]". But America's first institutions of higher learning (such as [[Harvard University]] and [[Yale University]]) did not resemble a full-sized university so much as one of its constituent colleges. A number of colleges at [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] featured an official called the "president". The head, for instance, of [[Magdalene College, Cambridge]] was called the ''master'' and his second the ''president''. The first president of Harvard, [[Henry Dunster]], had been educated at Magdalene. Some have speculated that he borrowed the term out of a sense of humility, considering himself only a temporary placeholder. The presiding official of [[Yale College]], originally a "[[Rector (academia)|rector]]" (after the usage of continental European universities), became "president" in 1745.

A common style of address for presidents, "Mr/Mrs. President", is borrowed from British Parliamentary tradition, in which the presiding Speaker of the House of Commons is referred to as "Mr/Mrs. Speaker". Coincidentally, this usage resembles the older French custom of referring to the president of a ''parlement'' as "''Monsieur/Madame le Président''", a form of address that in modern France applies to both the [[President of the French Republic|president of the Republic]] and to chief judges. In the United States, the title "Mr. President" is used in a number of formal instances as well: for example anyone presiding over the [[United States Senate]] is addressed as "Mr./Madam President", especially the vice president, who is the [[president of the Senate]]. Other uses of the title include presidents of state and local legislatures; however, only the president of the United States uses the title outside of formal sessions.
[[File:Stuart-george-washington-constable-1797.jpg|thumb|[[George Washington]], the [[President of the United States|first president of the United States]]]]
The 1787 [[Constitution of the United States]] did not specify the manner of address for the president. When [[George Washington]] was sworn in as the [[Presidency of George Washington|first president of the United States]] on April 30, 1789, however, the administering of the oath of office ended with the proclamation: "Long live George Washington, President of the United States."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bartoloni-Tuazon|first1=Kathleen|title=For Fear of an Elective King|date=2014|publisher=Cornell University Press|location=Ithaca|page=89}}</ref> No title other than the name of the office of the executive was officially used at the inauguration. The question of a presidential title was being debated in Congress at the time, however, having become official legislative business with [[Richard Henry Lee]]'s motion of April 23, 1789. Lee's motion asked Congress to consider "what titles it will be proper to annex to the offices of President and Vice President of the United States{{snd}}if any other than those given in the Constitution".<ref name="For Fear of an Elective King">{{cite book|last1=Bartoloni-Tuazon|first1=Kathleen|title=For Fear of an Elective King|date=2014|publisher=Cornell University Press|location=Ithaca|page=86}}</ref> Vice President [[John Adams]], in his role as President of the [[United States Senate]], organized a [[Congressional committees|congressional committee]]. There Adams agitated for the adoption of the style of ''Highness'' (as well as the title of ''Protector of Their [the United States'] Liberties'') for the president.<ref name=HutsonAdams>{{cite journal|last1=Hutson|first1=James H.|title=John Adams' Title Campaign|journal=The New England Quarterly|date=March 1968|volume=41|issue=1|pages=30–39|doi=10.2307/363331 |jstor=363331 | issn=0028-4866}}</ref> Adams and Lee were among the most outspoken proponents of an exalted presidential title.<ref name="For Fear of an Elective King"/>

Others favored the variant of ''Electoral Highness'' or the lesser ''Excellency'', the latter of which was vociferously opposed by Adams, who contended that it was far beneath the presidential dignity, as the executives of the states, some of which were also titled "President" (e.g. the [[Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania|president of Pennsylvania]]), at that time often enjoyed the style of ''Excellency''; Adams said the president "would be leveled with colonial governors or with functionaries from German princedoms" if he were to use the style of ''Excellency''. Adams and Richard Henry Lee both feared that cabals of powerful senators would unduly influence a weak executive, and saw an exalted title as a way of strengthening the presidency.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bartoloni-Tuazon|first1=Kathleen|title=For Fear of an Elective King|date=2014|publisher=Cornell University Press|location=Ithaca|page=57}}</ref> On further consideration, Adams deemed even ''Highness'' insufficient and instead proposed that the executive, both the president and the vice president (i.e., himself), be styled ''Majesty'' to prevent the "great danger" of an executive with insufficient dignity.<ref name=HutsonAdams /> Adams' efforts were met with widespread derision; [[Thomas Jefferson]] called them "the most superlatively ridiculous thing I ever heard of", while [[Benjamin Franklin]] considered it "absolutely mad".<ref name=HutsonAdams />

Washington consented to the demands of [[James Madison]] and the [[United States House of Representatives]] that the title be altered to "Mr. President".<ref>{{cite book|last=Hart|first= Albert Bushnell |title=Formation of the Union, 1750–1829 |pages=143|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n41HAAAAIAAJ&q=%22title+of+Mr+President%22&pg=PA143 | year=1897 | publisher=Longmans|isbn=1-4069-2845-3}}</ref><ref name="star">{{cite book|last=Martin|first=Judith |title=Star-spangled Manners |pages=67|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I_C-cv96t0kC&q=%22Mr+President%22+%22former+president%22+title+%22first+lady%22&pg=PA67 | isbn=978-0-393-04861-2 | year=2003 | publisher=W.W. Norton & Co.}}</ref><ref name="ladies">{{cite book|last=Wood|first=Gordon S.|title=Revolutionary Characters |pages=54|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uOovRxek5AIC&q=%22title+of+Mr+President%22&pg=PA54 | isbn=978-1-59420-093-9 | year=2006 | publisher=Penguin Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Caroli|first=Betty Boyd |author-link=Betty Boyd Caroli |title=First Ladies |pages=4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3DiQRbwz6jcC&q=%22Mr+President%22+++title+%22first+lady%22&pg=PA4 | isbn=978-0-19-516676-7 | year=2003 | publisher=Oxford University Press US}}</ref> Nonetheless, later "The Honorable" became the standard title of the President in formal address, and "His/Her Excellency" became the title of the president when addressed formally internationally.

Historically, the title was reserved for the [[incumbent]] president only, and was not to be used for former presidents, holding that it was not proper to use the title as a courtesy title when addressing a former president.<ref>{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Judith|date=January 21, 2009|title=Miss Manners by Judith Martin|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/20/AR2009012003558.html|access-date=May 18, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Presidents, Vice Presidents, and First Ladies of the United States {{!}} USAGov|url=https://www.usa.gov/presidents|access-date=2020-08-24|website=www.usa.gov|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Addressing a Former President |first=Judith |last=Martin |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1030916.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610083421/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1030916.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 June 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=21 October 1992 |access-date=5 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.formsofaddress.info/former.html#FO003 |title=Is a Former President Addressed as President (name)? |first=Robert |last=Hickey |work=Honor & Respect – The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address |publisher=Protocol School of Washington |access-date=5 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emilypost.com/forms-of-address/titles/118-addressing-a-former-us-president|access-date=2013-01-05|date=2013-01-05|quote=When addressing a former President of the United States in a formal setting, the correct form is "Mr. LastName". ("President LastName" or "Mr. President" are terms reserved for the current head of state.)|title=Addressing a Former President of the United States|first=Kerrie|last=Keller|publisher=The Emily Post Institute|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924000146/http://www.emilypost.com/forms-of-address/titles/118-addressing-a-former-us-president|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the official website of the United States of America, the correct way to address a letter is to use "The Honorable John Doe" and the correct salutation is "Mr. Doe".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usa.gov/presidents |title=Presidents, Vice Presidents, and First Ladies of the United States}}</ref>

Once the United States adopted the title of "president" for its head of state, many other nations followed suit.

===Other countries===
[[File:President Prabowo Subianto in 2024 with decorations.jpg|thumb|[[Prabowo Subianto]], the eighth president of Indonesia, is the democratically elected president with the largest [[popular vote]] in the world.]]
[[Haiti]] became the first presidential republic in the [[Caribbean]] when [[Henri Christophe]] assumed the title in 1807. Almost all the Pan-American nations that became independent from [[Spain]] in the early 1810s and 1820s chose a US-style president as their chief executive. The first European president was the president of the [[Italian Republic (Napoleonic)|Italian Republic of 1802]], a [[Sister Republic|client state]] of revolutionary France, in the person of [[Napoleon Bonaparte]]. The first [[Africa]]n president was the [[president of Liberia]] (1848),<ref>Emma J. Lapsansky-Werner and Margaret Hope Bacon, eds., ''Back to Africa: Benjamin Coates and the Colonization Movement in America: 1848–1880''. State College PA: Pennsylvania State Press, 2010. 57–59.
{{ISBN|9780271045719}}
books.google.com/books?id=9X0rc6E9EGkC&pg=PA57</ref> while the first [[Asia]]n president was the [[president of the Philippines]] (1899).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Agoncillo |first1=Teodoro |title=Malolos: the Crisis of the Republic |date=1997 |publisher=University of the Philippines Press |isbn=9715420966 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LnxvAAAACAAJ}}</ref>

== Description ==
In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the powers of presidencies have varied from country to country. The spectrum of power has included presidents-for-life and [[Hereditary politicians|hereditary presidencies]] to [[Figurehead|ceremonial heads of state]].

Presidents in the countries with a democratic or representative form of [[government]] are usually elected for a specified period of time and in some cases may be re-elected by the same process by which they are appointed, i.e. in many nations, periodic popular elections. The powers vested in such presidents vary considerably. Some presidencies, such as that of [[President of Ireland|Ireland]], are largely ceremonial, whereas other systems vest the president with substantive powers such as the appointment and dismissal of [[prime minister]]s or [[Cabinet (government)|cabinets]], the power to declare [[war]], and powers of [[veto]] on legislation. In many nations the president is also the [[commander-in-chief]] of the nation's armed forces, though this varies significantly around the world.

The roles of the President, regardless of the [[government]] system, are fundamentally defined by the tension between two distinct constitutional and political functions: the Head of State and the Head of Government. The way a [[nation]]’s constitution delegates or separates these two roles determines the institutional power, stability, and political dynamics of the executive branch.<ref>•	Renan, Daphna. “THE PRESIDENT’S TWO BODIES.” Columbia Law Review 120, no. 5 (2020): 1119–1214. </ref>

===Presidential systems===
{{main|President of the Republic}}
[[File:Alberto Fernández and Xiomara Castro during the inauguration of Gustavo Petro (2).jpg|thumb|Presidents [[Xiomara Castro]] (left) of Honduras and [[Alberto Fernández]] (right) of Argentina]]
In almost all states with a [[presidential system]] of government, the president exercises the functions of [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], i.e. the president directs the executive branch of government. When a president is not only head of state, but also head of government, this is known in Europe as a ''President of the Council'' (from the French ''Président du Conseil''), used 1871–1940 and 1944–1958 in the [[Third French Republic|Third]] and [[Fourth French Republic]]s. In the [[United States]] the president has always been both Head of State and Head of Government and has always had the title of President.

In pure [[presidential systems]], such as the United States, the president simultaneously holds both the ceremonial role of the [[head of state]] and the political role of the [[head of government]]. This unified presidency provides strong, decisive leadership but is prone to inherent tension and structural conflict.<ref>Gavin Phillipson (2024) Collaboration, conflict and unilateral executive power, King's Law Journal, 35:3, 541-550.</ref>

Presidents in this system are either directly elected by popular vote or indirectly elected by an electoral college or some other democratically elected body.

In the [[United States]], the [[President of the United States|president]] is indirectly elected by the [[U.S. Electoral College|Electoral College]] made up of electors chosen by voters in the presidential election. In most states of the United States, each elector is committed to voting for a specified candidate determined by the popular vote in each state, so that the people, in voting for each elector, are in effect voting for the candidate. However, for various reasons the numbers of electors in favour of each candidate are unlikely to be proportional to the popular vote. Thus, in five close United States elections ([[1824 U.S. presidential election|1824]], [[1876 U.S. presidential election|1876]], [[1888 U.S. presidential election|1888]], [[2000 U.S. presidential election|2000]], and [[2016 U.S. presidential election|2016]]), the candidate with the most popular votes still lost the election.
[[File:Otunbayeva with Putin.jpg|thumb|Presidents [[Roza Otunbayeva|Otunbayeva]] (left) and [[Vladimir Putin|Putin]] (right) of Kyrgyzstan and Russia]]
In [[Mexico]], the [[President of Mexico|president]] is directly elected for a six-year term by popular vote. The candidate who wins the most votes is elected president even without an absolute majority. The president is allowed to serve only one term.

In [[Brazil]], the [[President of Brazil|president]] is directly elected for a four-year term by popular vote. A candidate has to have more than 50% of the valid votes. If no candidates achieve a majority of the votes, there is a [[runoff election]] between the two candidates with most votes. Again, a candidate needs a majority of the vote to be elected. In Brazil, a president cannot be elected to more than two consecutive terms, but there is no limit on the number of terms a president can serve.

Many [[South America]]n, [[Central America]]n, [[Africa]]n and some [[Asia]]n nations follow the presidential model.
[[File:Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa with U.S. President Donald Trump, November 2025.jpg|thumb|Presidents [[Ahmed al-Sharaa|al-Sharaa]] (left) of Syria and [[Donald Trump|Trump]] (right) of the United States.]]
The core challenge of the unified [[presidency]] is that the President must act as a partisan political leader to achieve their policy goals ([[head of government]]), yet simultaneously serve as a unifying, supra-partisan national symbol ([[head of state]]).

When a U.S. President champions controversial legislation or vetoes bills, they fulfill their duty as the [[head of government]]. However, these partisan actions inevitably alienate the opposition, making it extremely difficult to retain the moral and symbolic [[authority]] needed for the [[head of state]] role. This role conflict often fuels [[political polarization]], forcing the President to choose between being an effective political leader and a respected [[national symbol]].

The use of executive orders illustrates this tension perfectly. These are unilateral powers used by the [[head of government]] to manage the [[administrative state]]. When a President uses them to enact sweeping policy changes that bypass the legislature, opponents frequently accuse them of abusing their political power, thereby undermining the President's perceived legitimacy as the impartial head of state who upholds constitutional norms.

Linz’s Dual Legitimacy: This institutional design also connects to Juan Linz’s theory of Dual Legitimacy. The conflict between the President ([[head of government]] with a popular mandate) and the Congress ([[head of state]] with a popular mandate) in a divided government (like South Korea's ‘Divided Government' situation) is a direct manifestation of this structural tension, where the fixed term rigidity prevents easy resolution of the conflict between the two branches claiming equal [[democratic legitimacy]].
For example, In [[South Korea]], president Yoon has vetoed 18 times in 2024 year alone and 25 times since taking office. This is the second record in history after former President Seungman Lee.<ref>임형섭. (2024, 12월 14일). [2024결산] 여소야대 속 극한대치 점철…'법안강행→거부권' 반복. 연합뉴스. [URL: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20241214030500001]</ref>

===Semi-presidential systems===
[[File:Macron Digital Summit.jpg|thumb|170px|[[Emmanuel Macron]], President of France]]
[[File:Anura Kumara Dissanayake in 2025.jpg|thumb|[[Anura Kumara Dissanayake]], President of Sri Lanka]]
A second system is the [[semi-presidential system]], also known as the [[France|French]] model. In this system, as in the parliamentary system, there are both a president and a prime minister; but unlike the parliamentary system, the president may have significant day-to-day power. For example, in France, when their party controls the majority of seats in the [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]], the [[President of France|president]] can operate closely with the parliament and [[Prime Minister of France|prime minister]], and work towards a common agenda. When the National Assembly is controlled by their opponents, however, the president can find themselves marginalized with the opposition party prime minister exercising most of the power. Though the prime minister remains an appointee of the president, the president must obey the rules of parliament, and select a leader from the house's majority holding party. Thus, sometimes the president and prime minister can be allies, sometimes rivals; the latter situation is known in France as [[cohabitation (government)|cohabitation]]. Variants of the French semi-presidential system, developed at the beginning of the [[French Fifth Republic|Fifth Republic]] by [[Charles de Gaulle]], are used in [[France]], [[Portugal]], [[Romania]], [[Sri Lanka]] and several [[post-colonial]] countries which have emulated the French model. In Finland, although the 2000 constitution moved towards a ceremonial presidency, the system is still formally semi-presidential, with the [[president of Finland]] retaining e.g. foreign policy and appointment powers. 
[[Sri Lanka]], formerly the [[Dominion of Ceylon]], declared itself a Republic in 1972. It introduced a Westminster style Parliamentary system, with [[William Gopallawa]] as the nominal Head of State, styled as the President. In 1978, [[J. R. Jayewardene|J. R. Jayawardene]] Introduced the 2nd Republican Constitution with a Semi-Presidential System. 
[[File:President Lee Myung-bak and Indian President Pratibha Patil in Seoul.jpg|thumb|Presidents [[Pratibha Patil]] (left) of India and [[Lee Myung-bak]] (right) of South Korea]]

The [[semi-presidential system]] (Dual-Executive or Premier-Presidential system), most famously established in the [[French Fifth Republic]], offers a model where the dual roles are not fully separated, but rather institutionally shared between two positions: the president and the [[prime minister]]. This system explicitly formalizes the dual-executive structure.

The president, popularly elected, serves as the primary [[head of state]] but retains significant [[head of government]] powers, particularly over foreign policy and national defense (the domaine réservé). The [[prime minister]], who must command the confidence of the [[National Assembly]], focuses on domestic policy and administration, serving as the functional [[head of government]].
The political function of the dual roles becomes most evident during "[[cohabitation]]." This occurs when the president and the [[parliamentary majority]] belong to different political parties. In this scenario:

The President ([[head of state]]) is forced to appoint a [[prime minister]] from the [[opposition party]].
The [[head of government]] power effectively shifts to the [[prime minister]], who controls the [[domestic policy]] agenda.
The president is largely relegated to the core [[head of state]] and [[foreign policy]] roles, creating a temporary, functional separation of powers within the [[executive branch]].

The first time a French President and Prime Minister were from different political parties was called cohabitation, happening from 1986 to 1988. The Socialist President, [[François Mitterrand]], had to pick a conservative, [[Jacques Chirac]], as his [[prime minister]] because conservatives won the most seats in [[parliament]]. Chirac took full control of domestic policy, like selling off state-owned companies ([[privatization]]). This showed he was in charge of the [[head of government]] role. Mitterrand mainly focused on being the [[head of state]], keeping control over [[foreign policy]] and the military. This situation proved that even with a strong president, the system could shift power based on [[election]] results, making the president share his executive duties.<ref>•	Nelsson, R. (2024, July 3). Cohabitation government begins in France: Mitterrand–Chirac, 1986. The Guardian. [URL:https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/03/cohabitation-government-begins-in-france-mitterrand-chirac-1986]</ref>

===Parliamentary republics===

{{see also|Parliamentary system|Parliamentary republic}}
The [[parliamentary republic]], is a parliamentary system in which the presidency is largely ceremonial with either ''[[de facto]]'' or no significant executive authority (such as the [[president of Austria]]) or ''[[de jure]]'' no significant executive power (such as the [[president of Ireland]]), and the executive powers rests with the [[Prime Minister|prime minister]] who automatically assumes the post as head of a majority party or coalition, but takes oath of office administered by the president. However, the president is head of the civil service, commander in chief of the armed forces and in some cases can dissolve parliament. Countries using this system include [[Austria]], [[Armenia]], [[Albania]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Germany]], [[Greece]], [[Hungary]], [[Iceland]], [[India]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], [[Israel]], [[Italy]],<ref>But presidential moral suasion is increasingly confirming that the "neutral powers", in this country, often find in the head of state the best defender from executive interference: {{cite journal|last1=Buonomo|first1=Giampiero|title=Autorità indipendenti e sistema costituzionale|journal=L'Ago e Il Filo|date=2014|url=https://www.questia.com/projects#!/project/89422474|access-date=12 April 2016|archive-date=24 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324160801/https://www.questia.com/projects#!/project/89422474|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Malta]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Singapore]].

A variation of the [[parliamentary republic]] is a system with an [[executive president]] in which the president is the head of state and the government but unlike a [[presidential system]], is elected by and accountable to a parliament, and referred to as president. Countries using this system include [[Botswana]], [[Nauru]] and [[South Africa]].

In many [[parliamentary republic]]s, the dual roles are completely and constitutionally separated, leaving the president with only the [[head of state]] functions.

In countries like [[Germany]] or [[India]], the president is purposefully stripped of meaningful [[head of government]][[ authority]]. Their function is strictly [[ceremonial]] and symbolic. They serve as the [[head of state]], the final signature on legislation, and the formal nominator of the [[prime minister]] chosen by the [[parliamentary majority]].

This radical separation ensures that the president can fulfill the unifying, supra-partisan role of the [[head of state]] without interference from the day-to-day [[political conflicts]] of the government. By eliminating the political component of the executive role, the office avoids the internal conflicts faced by the unified [[presidency]].

In these systems, the [[prime minister]] (or [[Chancellor]]) is the undisputed and sole [[head of government]]. Their power is entirely political, derived from and accountable to the legislature through a continuous mechanism of confidence (or no-confidence).
The German president is a purely ceremonial [[head of state]], lacking the [[head of government]] [[authority]] held by the [[Chancellor]]. This was clear in 2017 when [[coalition]] talks collapsed.<ref>Johanna Hornung, Robin Rüsenberg, Florian Eckert, Nils C. Bandelow; New Insights into Coalition Negotiations—The Case of German Government Formation. Negotiation Journal 2020; 36 (3): 331–352. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/nejo.12310</ref> President [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]] did not impose policy or force a solution. Instead, he used his impartial authority and constitutional duty to facilitate dialogue among [[party leaders]]. His role was strictly limited to safeguarding the constitutional order and enabling the [[political process]] to form the new government, demonstrating the power of a non-partisan symbol.

===Dictatorships===
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In [[dictatorship]]s, the title of president is frequently taken by self-appointed or military-backed leaders. Such is the case in many states: [[Idi Amin]] in [[Uganda]], [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in [[Zaire]], [[Ferdinand Marcos]] in the [[Philippines]], [[Suharto]] in [[Indonesia]], and [[Saddam Hussein]] in [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]] are some examples. Other presidents in authoritarian states have wielded only symbolic or no power such as [[Craveiro Lopes]] in [[Portugal]] and [[Joaquín Balaguer]] under the "[[Third Dominican Republic|Trujillo era]]" of the [[Dominican Republic]].

[[President for life]] is a title assumed by some [[dictator]]s to try to ensure their authority or legitimacy is never questioned. Presidents like [[Alexandre Pétion]], [[Rafael Carrera]], [[Josip Broz Tito]], and [[François Duvalier]] died in office. [[Kim Il Sung]] was named [[Eternal leaders of North Korea|Eternal President of the Republic]] after his death.

===Collective presidency===
{{Further|Directorial system}}
[[File:Bundesrat der Schweiz 2015.jpg|thumb|The seven-member [[Swiss Federal Council]] serves as collective [[head of government]] and [[head of state|state]] of [[Switzerland]].]]

Only a tiny minority of modern republics do not have a single head of state. Some examples of this are:
* [[Switzerland]], where the headship of state is collectively vested in the seven-member [[Swiss Federal Council]], although there is also a [[President of the Swiss Confederation|president of the Confederation]], who is a member of the Federal Council elected by the [[Federal Assembly of Switzerland|Federal Assembly]] (the Swiss [[parliament]]) for a year ([[Constitutional convention (political custom)|constitutional convention]] mandates that the post rotates every [[New Year's Day]]).
* The [[Captains Regent]] of [[San Marino]] elected by the [[Grand and General Council]].
* The [[Co-presidents of Nicaragua|Co-presidency of Nicaragua]], since 2025 the headship of state and government is shared between two co-presidents with equal powers, by constitution a male and a female.
* In the former [[Soviet Union]] from 1922 until 1938 there existed an office of collective head of state known as the [[Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union]] that consisted of four and later seven chairmen representing the central executive committees of all [[union republics]] from [[All-Russian Central Executive Committee|Russia]], [[All-Byelorussian Central Executive Committee|Belarus]], [[All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee|Ukraine]], [[All-Caucasian Central Executive Committee|Trans-Caucasusia]] and from 1925 [[All-Uzbek Central Executive Committee|Uzbekistan]], [[All-Turkmen Central Executive Committee|Turkmenistan]], [[All-Tajik Central Executive Committee|Tajikistan]]. From 1927 until 1989 however, real power was exercised by the [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|General Secretary]] of the [[Soviet Communist Party]]. After 1938, the [[Presidium of the Supreme Soviet|Presidium]] of the [[Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union|Supreme Soviet]] executed powers of a [[Head of state#Multiple or collective heads of state|collective head of state]], and [[List of heads of state of the Soviet Union|its chairman]] was often called "president" in the [[Western Bloc|West]], though a singular head of state named "[[President of the Soviet Union|president]]" was later established in 1990.
* [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] after the [[Death and state funeral of Josip Broz Tito|death]] of [[Josip Broz Tito]], where a [[Presidency of Yugoslavia|presidency]] consisting of members from each [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia#Federal units|federal unit]] ruled the country until its [[Breakup of Yugoslavia|breakup]].
* [[Ukraine]], in 1918–1920 there existed [[Directorate of Ukraine|Directorate]] composed of seven leaders of parliamentary factions and served as a collective head of state.
* The three-member [[Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina]] contains a member from each of the country's largest ethnic groups and serves as the collective head of state of [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
* [[National Council of Government (Uruguay)|National Council of Government]] in [[Uruguay]] from 1952 until 1967
* [[Junta of National Reconstruction]] in [[Nicaragua]] from 1979 until 1985

== One-party states ==

=== People's Republic of China ===

The [[president of China]] is the [[List of state representatives of the People's Republic of China|state representative]] of the [[China|People's Republic of China]]. While the office has many of the characteristics of a [[Titular ruler|nominal head of state]], the [[Constitution of China]] does not define it as such. Under the country's constitution, the presidency is a largely [[Figurehead|ceremonial office]] with no real power. However, since 1993, as a matter of convention, the presidency has been held simultaneously by the [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]], the [[Paramount leader|top leader]] in the [[One-party state|single-party system]].

Between 1982 and 2019, the  Chinese constitution stipulated that the president could not serve more than two consecutive terms. During the [[Mao era]], as well as since March 2018, there were no [[term limits]] attached to this office. Under  [[Xi Jinping]]'s [[General secretaryship of Xi Jinping|administration]], the term limits of the presidency were abolished, but its powers and ceremonial role remained unchanged.<ref>{{cite web| title = China's Xi Allowed to Remain 'President for Life' as Term Limits Are Removed | url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43361276  | website = bbc.com | date = 11 March 2018 | access-date = 11 August 2024}}</ref> In March 2023, Xi secured an unprecedented third term as president.

=== Lao People's Democratic Republic ===

In [[Laos]], which is a [[one-party state]] similar to that of China, the president is elected by the [[National Assembly of Laos|Laotian National Assembly]], and is considered to be the head of state. Since 1998, however, presidential officeholders in Laos often occupy their position as [[General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party]] concurrently, and thus exercise political power via that role. In accordance with the current [[Constitution of Laos|Laotian Constitution]] ''(rev. in 2015)'', the president may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms, and elections are to take place every 5 years.<ref name=LaosThailandembassypage>{{cite web| title = Political Relations with Laos | url = https://bangkok.embassy.gov.lk/political-relations-laos/ | website = bangkok.embassy.gov | date = 26 July 2023| access-date = 12 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| title = Lao People's Democratic Republic 1991 (rev. 2015)| url = https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Laos_2015| website = constituteproject.org| date = | access-date = 18 August 2024}}</ref>

The [[President of Laos]] is the ''de jure'' [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Lao People's Armed Forces]]. They also possess the authority (with the consent of the national assembly) to appoint the [[Prime Minister|prime minister]] and [[Vice President of Laos|vice president]], as well as other roles. The current President of Laos, elected in March 2021, is [[Thongloun Sisoulith]].<ref name=LaosThailandembassypage/>

=== Republic of Cuba ===

In [[Cuba]], officially the Republic of Cuba, the president, recognized officially as the [[President of Cuba|president of the Republic]], is considered to be the head of state. It is the highest state office in Cuba, but still ranks below the [[First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba]]. The current president, [[Miguel Díaz-Canel]], however, has held both titles concurrently since April 2021, having been granted the rank of First Secretary by the [[National Assembly of People's Power]] following the resignation and retirement of [[Raúl Castro]].<ref>{{Cite web| last = The British Broadcasting Service| title = Cuba leadership: Díaz-Canel named Communist Party chief| work = bbc.com| date = 2021-04-19| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56802129}}</ref>

The president is elected by representatives within Cuba's parliament, the [[National Assembly of People's Power]], and in accordance with the [[Cuban Constitution]], which was rewritten in February 2019 following a national [[2019 Cuban constitutional referendum|referendum]], is limited to two consecutive five-year terms. The president is also considered to be responsible for the National Assembly. The current president was elected by the National Assembly in December 2019 with an almost unanimous vote, and was re-elected in a similar fashion in April 2023.<ref>{{Cite web| agency = Associated Press| title = Cuba's parliament ratifies President Díaz-Canel for new 5-year term| work = pbs.org| date = 4 April 2019| url = https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/cubas-parliament-ratifies-president-diaz-canel-for-new-5-year-term}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = The Freedom House| title = Cuba: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report| work = freedomhouse.org| url = https://freedomhouse.org/country/cuba/freedom-world/2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = The Constitute Project| title = Constitution of the Republic of Cuba (rev. 2019)| work = constituteproject.org| date = 5 January 2019| url = https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_2019}}</ref>

== Presidential symbols ==
As the country's head of state, in most countries the president is entitled to certain perquisites, and may have a prestigious residence, often a lavish mansion or palace, sometimes more than one (e.g. summer and winter residences, or a country retreat) Customary symbols of office may include an official uniform, decorations, a presidential seal, coat of arms, flag and other visible accessories, as well as military honours such as [[gun salute]]s, [[ruffles and flourishes]], and a presidential guard. A common presidential symbol is the [[presidential sash]] worn most often by presidents in [[Latin America]] and [[Africa]] as a symbol of the continuity of the office.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCullough|first1=J. J.|title=Presidential Sashes|url=http://jjmccullough.com/pictessays_leaders_pres.php|access-date=19 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123090255/http://jjmccullough.com/pictessays_leaders_pres.php|archive-date=23 January 2017|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

== Presidential chronologies ==
{{main|List of current presidents}}

[[United Nations]] member countries in columns, other entities at the beginning:
* [[President of the European Commission|European Commission]]
* [[List of presidents of European Union institutions]]
* [[List of heads of state of the Soviet Union|List of presidents of the Soviet Union]] ([[List of leaders of the Soviet Union|Leaders]])

== Titles for non-heads of state ==
[[File:Isaias Afwerki in 2002.jpg|thumb|President [[Isaias Afwerki]] of the State of Eritrea giving a press briefing in the capital Asmara, 2002]]

=== As head of government ===
Some countries with parliamentary systems use a term meaning/translating as "president" (in some languages indistinguishable from chairman) for the head of parliamentary government, often as President of the Government, [[President of the Council of Ministers]] or [[President of the Executive Council (disambiguation)|President of the Executive Council]].

However, such an official is explicitly not the president of the ''country''. These officials are called "president" using an older sense of the word, to denote the fact that the official heads the ''[[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]]''. A separate [[head of state]] generally exists in their country who instead serves as the president or monarch of the country.

Thus, such officials are really [[premier]]s, and to avoid confusion are often described simply as 'prime minister' when being mentioned internationally.

There are several examples for this kind of presidency:
* The [[Prime Minister of Spain|prime minister of Spain]] is officially referred to as the president of the Government of [[Spain]], and informally known as the "president". Spain is also a kingdom with a reigning [[King of Spain|king]].
* The official title of the [[Prime Minister of Italy|Italian prime minister]] is [[President of the Council of Ministers]] (''[[Italian language|Italian]] Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri'')
* Under the French [[French Third Republic|Third]] and the [[French Fourth Republic|Fourth Republics]], the "[[President of the Council of Ministers|President of the Council]]" (of ministers{{snd}}a prime minister) was the head of government, with the [[President of the French Republic|president of the Republic]] a largely symbolic figurehead.
* From 1963 until 1992, the head of government of the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]] was the [[President of the Federal Executive Council|president]] of the [[Federal Executive Council (Yugoslavia)|Federal Executive Council]] after the [[1963 Constitution of Yugoslavia|1963 Constitution]] abolished the office of [[Prime Minister of Yugoslavia]] and transferred its functions to the president of the Federal Executive Council. Despite this, foreign media sources continued to refer to individuals holding the office of President of the Federal Executive Council as being the "Prime Minister of Yugoslavia".
* The [[prime minister]] of the [[Irish Free State]] from 1922 to 1937 was titled [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State]]. At the same time, the Irish Free State was a constitutional monarchy with a reigning monarch, the [[Monarchy in the Irish Free State|king of Ireland]], as well as a resident [[Governor-General of the Irish Free State|governor-general]] carrying out many head of state functions.
* Under the [[constitutional monarchy|constitutional monarchies]] of [[Brazil]] and [[Portugal]], the president of the Council of Ministers (''[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] Presidente do Conselho de Ministros'') was the head of government, with the [[Monarch]] being the head of State. Under the [[Portuguese First Republic|Portuguese First]] and [[New State (Portugal)|Second Republics]], the head of government was the president of the [[Ministry (collective executive)|Ministry]] (''Portuguese Presidente do Ministério'') and then the president of the Council of Ministers, with the [[President of Portugal|president of the Republic]] as the head of State.
* The official title of the [[Prime Minister of Croatia|Croatian prime minister]] is President of the Government of the Republic of Croatia ({{langx|hr|Predsjednik Vlade Republike Hrvatske}}).
* The official title of the [[Prime Minister of Poland|Polish prime minister]] is [[President of the Council of Ministers]] (''[[Polish language|Polish]] Prezes Rady Ministrów'').
* In British constitutional practice, the chairman of an [[Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)|Executive Council]], acting in such a capacity, is known as a president of the Executive Council. Usually this person is the [[Governor]] and it always stays like that.
* Between 1918 and 1934, [[Estonia]] had no separate head of state. Both [[Prime Minister of Estonia|prime ministers]] (1918–1920) and [[State Elder|state elder]]s (1920–1934) often translated as "presidents") were elected by the parliament.
* The head of government of [[Iran]] is styled as the "[[President of Iran|president]]". The Iranian head of state is the [[Supreme Leader of Iran|supreme leader]], to whom the president is subordinate.

=== Other executive positions ===

==== Sub-national ====
''President'' can also be the title of the chief executive at a lower administrative level, such as the [[Parish President|parish president]]s of the [[parish]]es of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Louisiana]], the presiding member of city council for villages in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Illinois]], or the [[municipal president]]s of [[Mexico]]'s [[municipio (Mexico)|municipalities]]. Perhaps the best known sub-national presidents are the [[borough president]]s of the [[borough (New York City)|five boroughs]] of [[New York City]].

===== Poland =====
In Poland, the ''president of the city'' ({{langx|pl|Prezydent miasta}}) is the executive authority of the municipality elected in direct elections, the equivalent of the [[mayor]]. The Office of the President (Mayor) is also found in Germany and Switzerland.

=====Russia=====
Governors of [[Russian republics|ethnic republics]] in the [[Russian Federation]] used to have the title of President, occasionally alongside other, secondary titles such as ''Chairman of the Government'' (also used by [[Prime Minister of Russia]]). This likely reflects the origin of Russian republics as homelands for various ethnic groups: while all [[federal subjects of Russia]] are currently ''[[de jure]]'' [[Symmetric federalism|equal]], their predecessors, the [[Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union|ASSR]]s, used to [[asymmetric federalism|enjoy more privileges]] than the ordinary krais and oblasts of the [[RSFSR]] (such as greater representation in the [[Soviet of Nationalities]]). Thus, the ASSRs and their eventual successors would have more in common with [[nation-state]]s than with ordinary administrative divisions, at least in spirit, and would choose titles accordingly.{{cn|date=November 2025}}

Over the course of the 2010s the presidents of Russian republics would progressively change their title to that of [[Head]] ({{langx|ru|глава}}), a proposition suggested by the [[president of Chechnya]] [[Ramzan Kadyrov]] and later made law by the [[Parliament of Russia]] and President [[Dmitriy Medvedev]] in 2010. Despite this, however, presidents of [[Tatarstan]] resisted the move, before 2023, where it was switched to the Head or [[Head of Tatarstan|Rais]], the latter of which could be [[Rais|translated from Tatar as "President"]].

=====United Kingdom=====
The [[Lord President of the Council|lord president of the Council]] is one of the [[Great Officer of State|Great Officers of State]] in the [[United Kingdom]] who presides over meetings of British [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]]; the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] headed by the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|prime minister]] is technically a committee of the council, and all decisions of the Cabinet are formally approved through [[Order in Council|Orders in Council]]. Although the lord president is a member of the Cabinet, the position is largely a ceremonial one and is traditionally given to either the [[leader of the House of Commons]] or the [[leader of the House of Lords]].

Historically the [[president of the Board of Trade]] was a cabinet member.

======British dependencies======
In [[Alderney]], the elected head of government is called the [[president of the States of Alderney]].

In the [[Isle of Man]], there is a [[president of Tynwald]].

=====Spain=====
In [[Spain]], the executive leaders of the [[autonomous communities]] (regions) are called presidents. In each community, they can be called ''Presidente de la Comunidad'' or ''Presidente del Consejo'' among others. They are elected by their respective regional assemblies and have similar powers to a state president or governor.

====Deputies====
Below a president, there can be a number of or "vice presidents" (or occasionally "deputy presidents") and sometimes several "assistant presidents" or "assistant vice presidents", depending on the organisation and its size. These posts do not hold the same power but more of a subordinate position to the president. However, power can be transferred in special circumstances to the deputy or vice president. Normally vice presidents hold some power and special responsibilities below that of the president. The difference between vice/deputy presidents and assistant/associate vice presidents is the former are legally allowed to run an organisation, exercising the same powers (as well as being second in command) whereas the latter are not.

===Legislatures===
In some countries the speaker of their unicameral legislatures, or of one or both houses of bicameral legislatures, the speakers have the title of president of "the body", as in the case of [[Spain]], where the speaker of the Congress is the [[president of the Congress of Deputies]] and the Speaker of the Senate is the [[President of the Spanish Senate|president of the Senate]].

===Judiciary===
The term 'President' is usually used in [[judiciary]] as [[chief justice]] of [[constitutional courts]].

====France====
In [[France|French]] legal terminology, the president of a court consisting of multiple [[judge]]s is the foremost judge; he chairs the meeting of the court and directs the debates (and is thus addressed as "Mrs President", "Madame la Présidente", "Mr President", or "Monsieur le Président"). In general, a court comprises several chambers, each with its own president; thus the most senior of these is called the "first president" (as in: "the First President of the [[Court of Cassation (France)|Court of Cassation]] is the most senior judge in France"). Similarly in English legal practice the most senior judge in each division uses this title (e.g. President of the Family Division, President of the Court of Appeal).

====Spain====
In the [[Spanish Judiciary]], the leader of a court of multiples judges is called President of the Court. The same happens with the different bodies of the Spanish judicial system, where we can find a [[President of the Supreme Court of Spain|president of the Supreme Court]], a [[Audiencia Nacional|president of the National Court]] and presidents in the [[Superior Court of Justice of Spain|Regional High Courts of Justice]] and in the Provincial Courts. The body that rules over the Judiciary in Spain is the [[General Council of the Judiciary]], and its president is the president of the Supreme Court, which is normally called ''President of the Supreme Court and of the GCJ''.

The [[Constitutional Court of Spain|Constitutional Court]] is not part of the Judiciary, but the leader of it is called [[President of the Constitutional Court (Spain)|President of the Constitutional Court]].

====United Kingdom====
In the recently established [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom]], the most senior judge is called the [[President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|President of the Supreme Court]]. The lady/lord president of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in [[Scotland]], and presiding judge (and Senator) of the [[College of Justice]] and [[Court of Session]], as well as being Lady/Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the [[High Court of Justiciary]], the offices having been combined in 1784.

==Spousal titles==

Titles for a president's spouse, if female, have ranged from "Marquise" to "Lady" to simply "Mrs." (or "Ms.").<ref name="ladies"/> If male the title of the president's spouse may be "Marquis", "Lord", or merely "Mr.".

===United States===
President George Washington's wife, [[Martha Washington]], was often called "Lady Washington". By the 1850s in the United States, the term "lady" had changed from a title of nobility to a term of address for a respected and well-mannered woman. The use of "[[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]]" to refer to the wife of the president of the United States was popularized about the time of the [[US Civil War]]. [[Dolley Madison]], the wife of President [[James Madison]], was remembered after her death in 1849 by President [[Zachary Taylor]] as "truly our First Lady for a half a century".<ref>{{cite book|last=Mayo|first=Edith| author-link = Edith Mayo |title=The Smithsonian Book of the First Ladies |pages=33|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0HZFqbkT1sC&q=%22Mr+President%22+++title+%22first+lady%22&pg=PA33 | isbn=978-0-8050-1751-9 | year=1996 | publisher=H. Holt}}</ref> First ladies are usually referred to simply as "Mrs. [last name]".<ref>{{cite web|title=President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Welcome Governors to the White House|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/26/president-donald-j-trump-and-first-lady-melania-trump-welcome-governors|website=[[whitehouse.gov]]|publisher=[[Executive Office of the President]]|access-date=22 March 2017|language=en|date=26 February 2017|quote=Mrs. Trump added that, "the scents of jasmine and roses fill the air as we give thanks for this great Nation and the glory of renewal."}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Eternal President of the Republic]]
* [[Presidential system]]
* [[Presidents Day (United States)|Presidents Day]]
* [[Requirements for becoming a president]]
* [[Vice president]]
* [[First Lady]]

===Head of state===
* [[Governor-General]]
* [[Head of state]]
* [[List of state leaders]]
* [[Monarch]]
* [[Supreme Leader (disambiguation)]]

===Other head of government===
* [[Minister-President]] (a head of government, not of state)
* [[Prime minister]]

==Sources==
*{{cite DNB|wstitle=Hungerford, Thomas|volume=28}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Types of heads of government}}
{{Government}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Politics}}

[[Category:Presidents| ]]
[[Category:Heads of state]]
[[Category:Positions of authority]]
[[Category:Titles]]
[[Category:Etymologies]]
[[Category:English words]]