First Citizen

First Citizen is the leader of the Vault City government, alongside the Council of Citizens.Vault City travel log The position was established ten years after emergence from Vault 8, in 2131. When the overseer retired, they were replaced by a Council of Citizens which appointed the initial first citizen.Joanne Lynette: "{272}{lyn031}{We exited the Vault 120 years ago and, with the help of our Eden kit, began construction of Vault City. Ten years later, the Overseer retired and a Council of Citizens was established. The Council appointed the initial First Citizen.}"(Joanne Lynette's dialogue) They are assisted in their duties by an assistant holding the honorary title of proconsul.The Chosen One: "{131}{}{'Proconsul?' What the hell is a 'Proconsul?'}"Proconsul Gregory: "{134}{}{I am the ASSISTANT to the First Citizen. I schedule her appointments, administer the Citizenship test to potential applicants, and update all the lists on the Vault City server. No small task, I assure you.}"(Proconsul Gregory's dialogue)
==Powers==
From the point of view of the council, a first citizen's primary responsibility is to lead the people, providing guidance and acting as a pillar of society, especially in trying times. The first citizen is empowered to make executive decisions without the need for confirmation by the council, though it retains the right to override them.McClure: "{200}{}{I am the Senior Council Member. I oversee the council meetings.}"The Chosen One: "{201}{}{Then what does the First Citizen do?}"McClure: "{185}{}{She is the leader of the people. The Citizens of Vault City look to her for guidance, but the Citizens, through the Council, still have final say on matters. In these trying times, she is a pillar of our society.}"(McClure's dialogue) Some of these include granting and revoking citizenship,Joanne Lynette: "{634}{lyn101}{This is not conduct of a Citizen! I am revoking your Citizenship. My guards will show you to the front gate.}"(Joanne Lynette's dialogue) pardoning offenders who violated the peace of the city,Stark: "{114}{}{Maybe being in these cells will teach you to behave yourselves.}""{115}{}{And you'll STAY in these cells until the First Citizen pardons you.}"(Stark's dialogue) such as through drunkenness, talking back to the first citizen, or other misdemeanorsCitizen prisoner: "{102}{}{Not a good idea to talk back to Lynette.}""{103}{}{Just sleeping it off.}""{104}{}{Didn't do enough to get my Citizenship revoked.}"(Citizen prisoners' dialogue) (serious crimes, such as murderJoanne Lynette: "{293}{lyn035}{Quite impossible. In the century we have lived outside the Vault, no one has ever chosen to leave. Although there were two Citizens exiled from our city long ago... as punishment for their crimes.}"The Chosen One: "{295}{}{What did these Citizens do?}"Joanne Lynette: "{345}{lyn045}{Murderers, both of them. Boyarsky was exiled ten years ago, and Richard Moreau was exiled shortly after we left the Vault. Citizenship is a sacred trust -- crime is not tolerated within our walls.}"(Joanne Lynette's dialogue) or smuggling drugs are not subject to pardon; a citizen's word is considered reliable enough to be evidence on its own).Joanne Lynette: "{524}{lyn080}{That is a very serious accusation. Since you are a Citizen, I must take you at your word... but are you absolutely certain? If true, his Citizenship would be revoked, and he would be exiled.}"The Chosen One: "{525}{}{Look, I know it's hard for you to believe, but he asked me to smuggle Jet into Vault City for him.}"Joanne Lynette: "{529}{lyn081}{I can't believe a Citizen of such stature would become addicted to drugs. Thank you for your honesty, Citizen. I will take care of this immediately.}"(Joanne Lynette's dialogue) Laws are supposed to be absolute, with no exceptions made,The Chosen One: "{526}{}{Isn't that a little harsh? Couldn't you just rehabilitate him and keep him on as a doctor?}"Joanne Lynette: "{538}{lyn083}{The law is the law. Exceptions make us no better than the Outsiders. Again, are you absolutely certain of your accusations?}"(Joanne Lynette's dialogue) and the first citizen is theoretically constrained by the legal framework they operate in.Joanne Lynette: "{637}{lyn102}{Although it would serve Vault City's interests, I can't... as long as he breaks no laws, Moore is permitted to say anything he wants.}"(Joanne Lynette's dialogue)
In practice, a great deal depends on the person who holds the position. During her terms, First Citizen Lynette did not share the view of the council that they held the ultimate power in Vault City. Rather, she saw the first citizen as a strong and capable leader capable of making decisions quickly and ensuring their enforcement. She held democracy in contempt, considering it to be nothing more than mob rule, and that involving all citizens in passing laws and decisions would lead to inordinate delays and chaos.Joanne Lynette: "{558}{lyn087}{Moore? He's a troublemaker. THAT'S what he is.}"The Chosen One: "{560}{}{Why do you say he's a troublemaker?}"Joanne Lynette: "{566}{lyn088}{He constantly seeks to convince the Citizens to turn Vault City into a...'democracy,' as he calls it, with everyone having a say in laws and decision-making. *I* call it mob rule.}"The Chosen One: "{567}{}{'Democracy?'}"Joanne Lynette: "{573}{lyn089}{The archives state that many old world nations had such a government. We know where THAT got them. Can you imagine how long it would take to get anything done in such a society? It's inconceivable.}"The Chosen One: "{574}{}{Inconceivable? Why?}"Joanne Lynette: "{579}{lyn090}{A government needs a strong, capable leader who can make decisions quickly and has the power to enforce them. Government by committee is no kind of government at all.}"The Chosen One: "{580}{}{How does Moore try and convince the Citizens that Vault City should be a democracy?}"Joanne Lynette: "{584}{lyn091}{Mostly by ranting in public and making a fool of himself. He plays on our sympathies with tales of a plague in the NCR, as if WE could take care of the whole world.}"(Joanne Lynette's dialogue) Her strong character and determination allowed her to become one of the core legislators in Vault City, and largely sideline the council, who technically retained oversight over her decisions. However, interference in her decisions led to conflicts between her and Senior Councilman McClure, especially when he acted on the petitions of several citizens and convinced the council to overrule several of Lynette's decisions, causing a scandal.Parlor Room bartender : "{218}{}{Why, First Citizen Lynette, of course. She's been First Citizen for almost two terms now. She is still answerable to the council, but she is responsible for most of the core legislation for Vault City.}"The Chosen One: "{219}{}{Council?}"Parlor Room bartender: "{223}{}{Yes, there is also a Vault City council. Its spokesman is Senior Councilman McClure. (Leans in.) McClure and the First Citizen have butted heads several times, in fact.}"The Chosen One: "{224}{}{Really...?}"Parlor Room bartender: "{228}{}{Oh, yes. Recently, some Citizens have petitioned McClure and the council to override some of the First Citizen's decisions. It created quite a stir, let me tell you.}"(Parlor Room bartender's dialogue)
==Known First Citizens==
* First Citizen Joanne Lynette (appointed 2231,The Chosen One: "{256}{}{What can you tell me about your leader?}"Wallace: "{297}{}{Our First Citizen is Joanne Lynette. She has done many good things for our city in her ten years of service.}"(Wallace's dialogue) in her second term in 2241)
==Behind the scenes==
* Princeps civitatis, or "First Citizen," was an official title of ancient Roman emperors at the start of the Roman Empire.
* In Issac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, the Mule makes himself the first citizen of the planet Klagan, which he had captured earlier.
==References==
Category:Vault City
Category:titles
Category:Heads of state
ru:Первый Гражданин
pt:Primeiro Cidadão