President

The **president** of Panem presides over the entire country, making all major administrative decisions. Panem is shown to be a totalitarian dictatorship, a police state in which the president possessed all the governing power.

District 13 also had a president, although it was the only district to do so, given that it considered itself independent from the others. Although the district presumably had a republican form of government, and was fighting for freedom and republicanism during both rebellions, the unique situation meant that it was in practice a stratocracy, or a government led by military chiefs.

## History

### Hunger Games and pre-Hunger Games era

President Ravinstill was the first known president of Panem, having led the country since before the First Rebellion and the Dark Days. He also oversaw the creation of the Hunger Games following the defeat of the districts and the secession of District 13.

The second known president was Coriolanus Snow, who led Panem for at least 25 years, given that he was president during the 50th Hunger Games. His regime was known to be exceptionally harsh and brutal in maintaining law and order in the districts with the Peacekeeping Corps, causing most citizens to live under brutal oppression and abject poverty. He led the Capitol's forces to unsuccessfully suppress the Second Rebellion, and was killed at the age of 84 years after being sentenced to death after the war. Although he was sentenced to be publicly executed by Katniss Everdeen, her last-minute change of mind led to him being lynched by an angry mob.

It is unknown when and how Alma Coin became president in District 13, but it was definitely well after its surface was bombed during the First Rebellion. The exact details of District 13's government is unknown, although given that they were fighting for freedom and republicanism during both rebellions, the district presumably adopted a republican form of government during their seven decades of political independence. Coin led District 13 and the rebels to successfully topple the Capitol during the Second Rebellion, and took charge of Panem shortly after, sending troops to put down the remaining Capitol resistance. Coin showed autocratic tendencies after the war, being reluctant to organize any elections. She was unexpectedly assassinated by Katniss Everdeen during Snow's execution.

### Republic era

Commander Paylor was the leader of the rebels in District 8. After Coin was killed, Paylor became president in an emergency election. It can be assumed that with the successful foundation of a constitutional republic as well as numerous reforms, the power of the president was significantly diminished and presumably shared and balanced with that of a legislative branch and a judicial branch.

## Powers

For much of history, Panem was ruled as a totalitarian dictatorship, a police state in which the president possessed nearly all governing power, delegating some responsibilities to his cabinet as well as the districts' mayors. In both the films and the novels, the president is shown to have the following powers and responsibilities:

* Issuing decrees
* Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces (Peacekeepers)
* Issuing execution (death penalty) orders
* Issuing orders to arrest, detain, imprison, torture, and kill any citizen of Panem
* Organizing and overseeing the annual Hunger Games
* Adjusting production quota requirements for the districts
* Broadcasting and overseeing the broadcasting of Capitol propaganda
* Declaring war

## Known presidents

* Ravinstill
* Coriolanus Snow
* Alma Coin
* Paylor