§2.2 - Appointment, Removal, and Succession of the Lord Regent

§2.2.1 – Designation and Authority of the Lord Regent

(a) The Lord Regent shall serve as the presiding officer of the Council and executive head of state, charged with ensuring the enforcement of Council decisions, managing inter-office cohesion, and maintaining continuity of governance.

(b) The Lord Regent shall act as chair during Council sessions, coordinate emergency governance under Title II, and serve as the designated voice of Rivermarch in ceremonial matters.

(c) The Lord Regent shall not possess unilateral legislative, military, or judicial power, nor may they override decisions of the full Council or act as sole adjudicator in legal matters governed by Title IV.

§2.2.2 – Method of Appointment

(a) The Lord Regent shall be elected from among the sitting members of the Council by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote.

(b) Any seated Councilor in good standing may be nominated for the role. Nominations must be submitted in writing and seconded by at least one additional Councilor.

(c) Upon selection, the nominee must swear the Oath of Regency before the full Council, affirming:

(i) Allegiance to Rivermarch and the Codex of Lawful Governance;
(ii) Willingness to serve as coordinator, not autocrat;
(iii) Acceptance of oversight by Council vote and tribunal accountability.

(d) The appointment shall be recorded in the Council Register and publicly declared within twenty-four (24) hours.

§2.2.3 – Removal from Office

(a) The Lord Regent may be removed from office by:

(i) A three-fourths (¾) vote of the seated Council;
(ii) Tribunal judgment following conviction of a High Crime or declaration of incapacitation;
(iii) Formal resignation delivered in writing to the Council and recorded in the Civic Register.

(b) In cases involving alleged misconduct or abuse of emergency powers, a triad composed of the Warden, Magister, and a third neutral Councilor (selected by Council vote) shall review the matter and submit formal findings prior to Council vote on removal.

(c) Upon removal, the office of the Lord Regent shall be considered vacant and succession procedures initiated under §2.2.4.

§2.2.4 – Line of Succession

(a) In the event of death, disappearance, or lawful removal of the Lord Regent, temporary authority shall pass in the following order until a new Lord Regent is appointed:

(i) The General, for military or external emergencies;
(ii) The Warden, for civil continuity and internal law enforcement;
(iii) The longest continuously serving Councilor not under investigation or recusal.

(b) The Acting Regent shall possess only those powers necessary to ensure governance continuity and may not enact emergency measures or override Council votes without explicit majority approval.

(c) A formal appointment vote to fill the office permanently shall be held within fifteen (15) days of vacancy.

§2.2.5 – Term, Reappointment, and Limitation

(a) The Lord Regent shall serve without fixed term, continuing until resignation, removal, or replacement by Council vote.

(b) A sitting Lord Regent may be reappointed at the conclusion of their tenure by standard nomination and confirmation procedure, provided no cause for disqualification exists.

(c) The Council may impose limits on the length of continuous service, define periods of reevaluation, or institute term ceilings by legislative resolution, provided such action applies prospectively.