The United Federation of Planets is structured as that of a federal constitutional republic, with much of its facilities located on Earth.
The exact nature of the government of the Federation has never been made clear in canon. From the information available, the United Federation of Planets would appear to have been a constitutional representative republic, to and in which constituent members delegate some of their sovereignty, who participated in a legislature known as the Federation Council, elected a chief executive known as the Federation President, and which were ostensibly balanced by a judiciary headed by a Federation Supreme Court.
The exact division of powers between the Federation government and the governments of its member worlds is unknown, though various episodes indicate the Federation placed great value on maintaining local sovereignty over local affairs – as late as the 2270s, Kirk makes reference to the Vulcan embassy, either to the Federation itself or to United Earth, which suggests that member worlds continued to exchange diplomatic representatives with each other. This is consistent with a canon that member worlds were left to manage their own governance in accordance with their own traditions and local laws, so long as the general requirements of membership were met, similar to how the member states of the European Union are bound together today.
However, Federation law did grant the government emergency authority to override local governance and declare martial law on a member’s territory.
The United Federation of Planets was founded in 2161 by the following members:
Andoria
Homeworld of the Andorians and the Andorian Empire.
Earth
Homeworld of the Humans and United Earth.
Tellar Prime
Homeworld of the Tellarites.
Vulcan
Homeworld of the Vulcans and the Vulcan High Command.
General Information:
| Dominant species: | Various |
| Location: | Alpha and Beta Quadrants |
| Capital: | Paris, Earth, Sol System, Sector 001, Alpha Quadrant |
| Official Language: | Federation Standard |
| Population: | 9.85 trillion sentient lifeforms |
| Territorial Size: | 8,000 light-years |
| Currency: | Federation credit |
| Founded: | August 12, 2161 |
| Military: | Starfleet |
Government:
| System of government: | Federal Republic |
| Legislative Branch: | Federation Council |
| Judicial Branch: | Supreme Court |
| Seat of government: | Palais de la Concorde |
| Head of state: | President |
| Head of government: | President |
FEDERATION DAY
Federation Day is a Federation patriotic holiday celebrated every 12 August to commemorate the signing of the Articles of the Federation and the establishment of the United Federation of Planets in the year 2161.
GOVERNMENT BREAKDOWN
The Executive Branch
The executive branch was responsible for the day-to-day management of the Federation. The democratically-elected Federation President was the head of this branch. The Federation President served as both the head of state and head of government; as chief executive officer of the government, the President determined most of the Federation’s foreign policy, managed budgetary concerns, and served as supreme commander of the Federation’s military forces. he President’s office was located in the Earth city of Paris on the European continent. The Federation Cabinet was a special executive committee to the President of the United Federation of Planets.
Executive agencies
The Federation also maintained a number of executive agencies that assisted in the administration of its affairs: Their Secretaries are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate
- Central Bureau of Penology
- Bureau of Galactic Affairs
- Department of Cartography
- Department of Temporal Investigations
- United Federation of Planets (UFP) High Commission on Refugees
- Federation Archaeology Council
- Federation Astronomical Committee
- Federation Bureau of Industrialization
- Federation Bureau of Planetary Treaties
- Federation Central
- Federation Command
- Federation Food and Drug Administration
- Federation Naval Patrol
- Federation Science Council
- Federation Standards Measurement Bureau
- Starfleet
- Terraform Command
In addition, at least one rogue agency, known as Section 31, was known to have operated in the name of the Federation.
THE PRESIDENT
Current President
Relvsian sh’Zorhacs of Andoria – Protection Party
Term: 2393-2398
The President of the United Federation of Planets (informally, the Federation President or the President of the Federation) is the elected head of state and head of government of the United Federation of Planets.
The Federation President is the chief executive officer of the Federation. The President is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the government, setting and coordinating foreign policy, and dealing with resource distribution issues.
The Federation President is also the commander-in-chief of all Starfleet forces.
They have the power to pardon criminals. The President receives foreign ambassadors and has the authority to control Starfleet deployments and to declare martial law on Federation member worlds. In addition, the President can preside over special courts martial in which the Federation Council serves as the judging body.
The President is supported by the Cabinet, a special committee comprising the heads of the executive departments of the Federation government.
The Federation President’s office is located on Earth in the city of Paris, France.
The President of the Federation is elected for 5 year terms. – This is a popular vote across Federation worlds and protectorates. The Election is held on the 7th of July of the last year of the Current President’s term.With the new president being sworn in on Federation Day.- 12th of August.
The period of the ‘presidential campaign’ is from September to July of the last year of incumbents term
A President can only serve 2 consecutive terms as President of the Federation and 3 terms in total.
Legislative Branch
Each member world is granted 2 senators and 3 Representatives. These are elected as per their world’s Electoral processes.
These representatives are not always of the same political leanings.
Protectorates are granted 1 senator and 1 representative.
Political Parties:
There are a large number of political parties across the Federation, however, the legislature is currently dominated by four major parties.
The major parties are:
· Federation Unity Party, “We March Toward the Stars”
· Planetary Protection party, “Federation Now, Federation Forever”
· United Colonial Front “United in Struggle, Together in Victory”
· Alliance for Planetary Freedom “Securing Today Against Tomorrow’s Threats”
Other minor but noteworthy parties:
· People’s Peace Movement
Judicial Branch
The Supreme Court was the highest judicial body in the United Federation of Planets, holding the final judicial authority over Federation laws. It comprised nine members considered to be the most experienced members of the legal profession in the Federation. They could come from any member planet, whatever its specific membership status. They were nominated by the President, appointed by the Federation Judiciary Council (a 13-member committee of the Federation Council that has jurisdiction over legal and judicial issues), and ratified by the full Assembly. They served for life.