Emergency Powers Act

For other uses, see Emergency Powers Act (disambiguation).

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"By decree of the Galactic Senate, emergency powers have been granted to Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine until the current Separatist crisis has abated. The motion was proposed by Representative Jar Jar Binks of Naboo and passed by a majority vote. The Supreme Chancellor shall relinquish these powers in good faith once…"

―Galactic Senate decree^[4]

The Emergency Powers Act was an amendment to the Galactic Constitution passed at the very start of the Separatist Crisis in 24 BBY to allow Sheev Palpatine to remain Supreme Chancellor long after the expiration of his elected terms. The act was originally intended to remain in practice for as long as the Separatist Crisis carried on.

History[]

Passing of the act[]

"It's-a clear desa Separatists made a pact wesa desa Federation du Trade. Senators! Dellow felegates! In response to this direct threat to the Republic, mesa propose that the Senate give immediately emergency powers to the Supreme Chancellor!"

―Jar Jar Binks^[2]

On the eve of the First Battle of Geonosis^[1] in 22 BBY,^[3] Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks convinced the Senate to increase the scope of the Chancellor's emergency powers^[1] because of the apparent threat of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.^[2] With the expansion, Palpatine could bypass the Military Creation Act and form the Grand Army of the Republic. Palpatine remained in power as Chancellor over the Clone Wars through^[1] the expanded^[2] Emergency Powers Act.^[1]

Further amendments[]

"Thank you all for attending. I know we can count on signatures, but I've invited this group to discuss the exact wording of the petition."
"In broad strokes, our demands are that Chancellor Palpatine relinquish the emergency war powers granted to him, abolish the Sector Governance Decree, and begin cease-fire talks with Count Dooku's Separatists."

―Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, at the first of the Cantham House talks^[5]

Four additional amendments were made to the Constitution and enshrined in law throughout the war, further expanding Palpatine's emergency powers. In effect, Palpatine became the most powerful chancellor since before the Ruusan Reformations. One of the amendments was the Reflex Amendment, which granted the Chancellor near-absolute power over military affairs, almost completely bypassing the Senate. Unbeknownst to the Senate, Palpatine was in truth a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious, and that he had deliberately engineered the Clone Wars so that he could remain in office and plot the downfall of the Jedi Order.^[1] Passing the Emergency Powers Act was, in a way, the one of the many steps towards Sidious' goal to topple the Galactic Republic and replace it with the Galactic Empire.^[2]

Legacy[]

Main article: Charter of Chancellor

"The charter of Chancellor maintains the emergency powers granted by Palpatine, and they can persist no longer. They are a poison to democracy. They undercut my role."

―Mon Mothma^[6]

During the restoration of the Galactic Republic in the form of the New Republic, Chancellor Mon Mothma was granted the same emergency powers once granted to Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine by the Emergency Powers Act. Mothma, however, intended to eliminate those powers because of their destructive effect on democracy.^[6]