The Senate

The **Galactic Senate**, also referred to as the **Republic Senate**, **Galactic Congress** or **Republic**

## Leadership

### Seats

19 Senators* 10 Centralists
* 7 Populists
* 2 Technocrats

Approx. 33 Non-voting Associate Planetary Representatives

## Elections

### Next election

Not yet scheduled

**Congress**, is the legislative and executive branch of the Galactic Republic that located on Coruscant. Its primary duties are to mediate any disputes between star systems, worlds and cultures, to regulate trade between systems, to protect and care for citizens in need and to provide mutual defense in face of threats to the Republic. It is led by the Supreme Chancellor.

## History

The Galactic Senate was still a relatively weak body at the end of the Old Sith Wars. Following the Ruusan Reformation, a large amount of power was removed from the Supreme Chancellor and granted to the Senate, which although resulting in greater regional involvement in galactic politics, also resulted in increased gridlock and corruption. One of the privileges a Supreme Chancellor still possessed was his or her ability to call an Extraordinary Session.

Originally the Senate was Planetary and welcomed any planet with a large enough population until the Core was occupied by the early Republic. Then the Republic was politically divided into sectors containing up to 50 inhabited systems, small enough so that they wouldn't expand into separatist empires; the Senate then was apartised by sectorial Senators, representing the planetary Senators.

After the First Alsakan Conflict in 17,000 BBY, the Senate was composed of seated Senators with full rights of address, and unseated Senators, who had to petition for such rights. That made the Senate viable but bred corruption since unseated Senators traded most of their votes.

The Senate's role changed somewhat over the centuries. As of the Old Sith Wars it played a slightly more passive role regarding internal affairs. While recognized as the central government of the Republic and deferred to in matters of galactic policy, the Senate's power over many members was more that of a mediator than a ruling body. Negotiation and coercion were staples of its activities.

The terrorist organization known as The Flail attempted to overthrow the Senate in 33 BBY, accusing it of corruption; but Chancellor Finis Valorum's forces disbanded The Flail.

## Organization

The Senate is led by a Supreme Chancellor, elected by a vote of the Senate from amongst its delegates. He has little real authority over the Senate other than prerogative to call for a special session and could be removed by a vote of no confidence. The Vice Chair, also elected and removed by the Senate, wields far more power being empowered to open, close and moderate debate on each motion, which allows him to control agenda within the Senate.

The Galactic Senate is made up of over 2,000 congressmen: governor-delegates (referred to as senators) and representatives, representing sectors, systems, individual planets, or even Corporations or Guilds. Some are elected directly, while others were appointed by a planet's ruler (or even were the planet's ruler). Diplomats, religious figures, local political leaders, and other prominent people also address the Senate as part of a senatorial delegation. Senators, however, are the only members with voting power, with the Representatives organized into the Galactic Representative Commission, although they can be appointed by their absent Senators as their temporary substitute, and still can have a minor voice in Senate business.

The full Senate convenes on a regular basis, although the meetings are unscheduled in advance, and can sometimes even reach up to one hundred full assemblies per year. The order of the day is composed of a series of day-long meetings in committees and subcommittes in formal and informal situations. Most of the negotiation and diplomacy, however, happens behind the scenes, in the ambassadorial offices behind the Senate platforms.

## Constitutional Powers and Duties

The Galactic Senate is a place where all the Republic's elected and appointed senators and representatives from the farthest reaches of the galaxy discuss major problems and come to decisions. The Galactic Constitution enumerates a variety of powers of the Senate, such as the ability to regulate trade, maintain maps of the galaxy's hyperspace routes, and to maintain the Republic's military. However, in *In re G.S. Res. 001: Grand Admiral Appointment Resolution*, the Galactic Tribunal held that the Senate's authority sweeps far more broadly: "The Galactic Senate has plenary authority to regulate the matters of the galaxy subject only to the limitations found elsewhere in the Galactic Constitution, such as the rights and freedoms guaranteed under Article VIII." Rather than being exhaustive, the enumerated powers of the Senate identified in Article II, section 2, are exclusive to the Senate.