President (government title)

President is a common title for the head of state in most republics. The role of a president can vary depending on the country, with some serving as the head of government, a ceremonial figurehead, or some other distinction.

The functions exercised by a president vary according to the form of government. In parliamentary republics, they are usually, but not always, limited to those of the head of state and are a largely ceremonial role. An exception to this would be presidential-parliamentary republics (e.g. Botswana and South Africa), where the role of the president is more prominent and encompasses more of the functions of a head of government. The president of a semi-presidential republic has some discretionary powers, such as involvement in foreign affairs or the appointment of the head of government agencies, but they are not themselves the head of government. A leader of a one-party state may also hold the position of president for ceremonial purposes or to maintain an official state position.

Styles such as "Mr. President" or "Madam President" may apply to a person holding the title of president or presiding over certain other governmental bodies. "Mr. President" has subsequently been used by governments to refer to their heads of state. It is the conventional translation of non-English styles such as Monsieur le Président for the president of the French Republic. It also has a long history of usage as the title of the presiding officers of legislative and judicial bodies. The speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is addressed as président(e) de la Chambre des communes in French and as Mr. Speaker or Madam Speaker in English.