Leader of the Opposition (Superior)
 Leader of the Official Opposition | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms of Superior | |
| Style |
The Right Honorable (formal) Leader of the Opposition (informal) |
| Member of |
House of Delegates Shadow Council |
| Appointer | Elected by the caucus of the main opposition party |
| Term length | While leader of the largest political party is not in government |
| Formation |
November 4th, 1869 June 1st, 1940 (officially) |
| First holder | William R. Marshall |
| Salary | $120,000 per year (added onto existing salary as a member of Parliament) |
| Website | The Opposition of Superior |
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The Leader of the Official and Loyal Opposition, almost selectively referred to as the Leader of the Opposition is the office and title given to the politician who leads the largest opposition group in the House of Delegates of the Kingdom of Superior. The Leader of the Opposition, by convention, is almost exclusively the leader of the largest political party not in the government, though it is not a requirement. The current leader of the opposition is Quentin Bradhsaw of the Liberal Democratic Party after the victory of Isaac Dillon and the United Conservatives in the 2022 Superian federal election on January 3.
The position of the Leader of the Opposition would be founded shortly after the first federal election, with William R. Marshall, the leader of the National Republican Party becoming the first Leader of the Opposition. The position would remain unofficial until the passage of the Government Reformation Act, which made the title an official part of the House of Delegates. The Government Reformation Act would also define the legislative powers of the position, along with a set salary. The Leader of the Opposition is commonly seen as a "shadow President" and leads the Shadow Cabinet, which acts as a opposition cabinet.
There is also a High Council "leader of the opposition", who is referred to as the Minority Leader. However, the Leader of the Opposition takes precedence over the Minority Leader, as the House of Delegates is seen as more representative of the people. Like the President of Superior, the Leader of the Opposition is entitled to a observer and non-voting seat in the High Council. By law, the Leader of the Opposition does not need to be a member of the Parliament of Superior or the leader of the main opposition party in the House of Delegates. However, these are considered unofficial rules of assuming the position, and deviating from these "rules" is considered politically disadvantageous. A majority of the leaders of the opposition have originated from the Liberal Democratic Party, the Conservative Party, and it's successor the United Conservative Party, with third parties obtaining the position only twice (William R. Marshall of the National Republicans and Floyd B. Olsen of the Farmer Laborites).
History
With the passage of the Constitution of Superior, the Parliament of Superior would be established as the national legislative body of the newly-independent Superior. The Parliament of Superior would be heavily modelled off of the Parliament of Sierra, fusing the Westminister-style parliamentary system with the Anglo-American federalism previously seen in the United States. Like Sierra, the fusing of Anglo-American federalism into the new Superian government would be the result of a compromise between the government and the various pro-United Commonwealth and anti-secessionist groups. Following the 1869 federal election, Superior's first election since independence, the second-largest party in Parliament, the National Republican Party, would form the first official opposition against the newly-elected Liberal Democratic government led by President Stephen Miller. Originally referred to as Minority Leader, William R. Marshall, the leader of the National Republican Party, would eventually come to refer to himself as the "Leader of the Opposition", a term he adopted from neighboring parliamentary nations.
The title "Leader of the Opposition" would become popular amongst parliamentarians, with use of the title continuing long after Marshall's tenure in Parliament. The definition of the term would be altered and changed over time. In it's earliest use, it was used to refer to just one opposition party leaders, with other leaders of opposition parties represented in Parliament using the term to describe their leaders. Beginning at the start of the 20th century, however, the term would begin to refer to the leader of the largest opposition party. Despite it's continued usage, the title would remain unofficial, with no benefits or official duties being designated to the Leader of the Opposition. In 1940, the Government Reformation Act would pass as apart of Farmer Labor President Floyd B. Olsen's Great Reforms Plan. Along with many other things, the act would officially establish the Leader of His Majesty's Opposition as a functioning part of the Parliament, and would detail the position's role and duties based on previously established parliamentary traditions. From 1940 to the modern era, the position of Leader of the Opposition would begin to officially establish itself and it's position in Superian political life and culture, becoming the chief opposition voice against the government.