Vice Chair

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"Order! We shall have order!"

―Vice Chair Mas Amedda^[3]

The Vice Chair, known as the Vice Chairman and also known as the Vice Chancellor, Vice chair of the Senate, or as the Senate Speaker, was the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the Galactic Republic. The position was also a bureaucratic role in the Galactic Senate with the purpose in maintaining procedures and protocol in the legislative.

Mas Amedda served as vice chair during the twilight years of the Republic, first under Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum and then his successor, Sheev Palpatine of Naboo. In the aftermath of the Clone Wars, Amedda became the Grand Vizier of the Galactic Empire.

Role and powers[]

"Don't you have more pressing issues that require your attention today?"
"No, Mr. Speaker, I do not."

―Vice Chair Mas Amedda and Senator Padmé Amidala^[4]

The Vice Chair,^[5] also referred to as the Vice Chancellor^[6] or Senate Speaker,^[7] was a bureaucratic position affiliated with both the Galactic Senate and the Office of the Chancellor,^[2] the legislative and executive branches of the Galactic Republic, respectively. As speaker of the Senate, the vice chair was tasked with maintaining order among the galaxy's senators. During the Republic's final years, the Senate was made to follow protocol and procedures to the letter, under the stewardship of Vice Chair Mas Amedda. Although the Chagrian politician believed that he kept the government functioning, in truth bureaucrats like Amedda often slowed down the process to the point of rendering the Senate ineffective.^[5]

History[]

"This is a crisis. The Senate must vote to give the chancellor emergency powers."

―Vice Chair Mas Amedda^[3]

ZodKneelsBeforeAmidala-TPMHD — Vice Chair Mas Amedda served as Speaker of the Senate during the last years of the Galactic Republic.

During Chancellor Lina Soh's administration, Larep Reza served as her Vice Chancellor. Attending the ill-fated Republic Fair, Reza was the presumed successor to Soh when her term came to a close.^[8]

In 32 BBY,^[1] Queen Padmé Amidala petitioned the Galactic Senate to support her home planet of Naboo, which had been invaded and occupied by the Trade Federation Droid Army. When delegates from the Trade Federation and Malastare insisted that the Senate form a committee to inspect the validity of the young monarch's accusations, Vice Chair Mas Amedda counseled Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum to concede to their demands. Unwilling to leave the Naboo under Federation control while the Senate debated the issue, Amidala called for Chancellor Valorum's removal from office, in the hope that the next chancellor would be more decisive.^[9]

Despite Valorum's fall from power, Amedda retained his post as vice chair under the new chancellor, Sheev Palpatine, formerly the senator of Naboo.^[9] He would continue to serve in chancellery throughout the remaining years of the Republic, which became engulfed by the Separatist Crisis and the Clone Wars that followed.^[3] The vice chair was also one of the few individuals who knew that Palpatine was a Sith Lord, and actively participated in the chancellor's schemes by helping him to gain more wartime powers through their manipulation of the Senate.^[2]

Shortly after the fall of the Jedi, Vice Chair Amedda stood at Palpatine's side as the self-anointed Galactic Emperor announced the formation of the First Galactic Empire.^[10] Amedda would remain a member of the Emperor's inner circle, serving as one of Palpatine's closest aides and advisors under the new title of Grand Vizier.^[2]

List of Vice Chancellors[]

Period	Vice Chancellor
By 231 BBY^[11]–	Larep Reza^[8]
By 32 BBY^[1]–19 BBY^[1]	Mas Amedda^[2]

Behind the scenes[]

The encyclopedia "Chancellors, Senators and States Persons of the Republic" incorrectly describes the positions of Vice Chair and Vice Chancellor as separate titles.^[12]