presidency

1 the tenure of a president; "things were quiet during the Eisenhower administration" [syn: presidential term, administration]

2 the office and function of president; "Andrew Jackson expanded the power of the presidency beyond what was customary before his time" [syn: presidentship]

English

Noun

1. The office or role of president.

   After many years as a party leader, she finally ascended to the presidency.

2. The bureaucratic organization and governmental initiatives devolving directly from the president.

   Because of the president's lame duck status, the presidency was often hampered by congressional actions.

3. The time during which one is president; a president's term of office.

   In France, a presidency lasts for five years.

   Ernest was a historian specializing in the presidency of Herbert Hoover.

Translations

Translations to be checked

• ttbc French: présidence

The word presidency is often used to describe the administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. It is also the governing authority of some churches.

For example, in a republic with a presidential system of government, the presidency is the executive branch of government, and is personified by a single elected man or woman who holds the office of "president". In practice, it includes a much larger collective of people, such as chiefs of staff, advisors and other bureaucrats.

The term is also sometimes used to describe the time period in office held by an individual president. For example, the presidency of Richard Nixon overlapped many important developments.

Other states and organizations may have other systems, such as a collective presidency. The presidency of the European Union is held on a rotating basis by the various national governments of the member states. The presidency of British crown colonies is held by the office of the United Kingdom colonial secretary.

The presidency may also refer to the holder of a non-governmental office of president in a corporation, business, charity, university, etc or to the institutional arrangement around them. For example "the presidency of the Red Cross refused to support his idea."

See also

• Imperial Presidency
• First Presidency
• Presidencies of British India

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