Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaggy001
It is a crucial difference. Where you have an elected head of state, as in the USA or France, that individual very often becomes a very divisive figure. In the UK, the monarch represents the nation but no political party. That allows her to become a unifying figure.
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All European figures have a head of government and a head of state. The head of government in any government in the world is almost inherently a divisive figure that represents both the government and his party, while the head of state is meant to be a unifying figure. In the kingdoms, the head of state is the monarch.
But in European nations that are not monarchies, the head of state is elected.
For instance in Germany the head of state is President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, while the head of government is Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In Ireland the head of state is President Michael D. Higgins while the head of government is Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
In North and South America and in Africa there is only one person that does both things. So Americans are often familiar with the European heads of government, and do not know the heads of state outside of some of the monarchs.
So if Britain were to become a republic, they would elect a President. The Prime Minister would remain the head of government.
As an example of why travel with the POTUS is so expensive look at the last International Visit at Paris on July 13–14. President Trump and the First Lady arrived in Orly Airport on July 13. The same day Trump visited the US Embassy to attend a ceremony honoring American World War II veterans,toured Les Invalides with French President Emmanuel Macron, engaged in a bilateral meeting with Macron at Élysée Palace and held press conference with the French President afterwards. The two leaders, along with their wives and private guests, later had dinner at the Le Jules Verne restaurant on the second level of the Eiffel Tower and their meal was prepared by Alain Ducasse. On July 14, Trump attended the Bastille Day Military Parade. The dinner was also a show of empathy by the American President on the first anniversay of the 14 July 2016 vehicle ramming that killed 86 Parisians,
That visit should be considered a
head of state visit, because it is about the Franco-American relationship and shared history. But President Trump needs the entire apparatus of government at his disposal, and he is always prepared to conduct war. President Trump requires all of his own security people and modes of transport.
If Queen Elizabeth II makes the same visit, she probably has about a dozen people with her. She doesn't need a special plane, she just rents one. She doesn't bring her own automobile or helicopters as she can ride on vehicles provided by the French government. As QEII is getting old, most of her international visits are now conducted by Prince Charles.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall did a 7 day Official Foreign & Commonwealth Office visit to Italy, Romania and Austria and flew to Bucharest - Pisa - Naples - Pisa - Rome - and Vienna. The charter plane was leased for £154,000. That is the cost of operating Air Force One for about 1 hour.
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