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Vice Chair

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Vice Chair

Historical information

Date abolished

19 BBY^[1](replaced by theGrand Vizier)^[2]

Organizational information

Government

Galactic Republic^[2]

Organization

Position type

Government official^[2]

Duties

Maintaining order in the Senate^[2]

"Order! We shall have order!"

―Vice Chair Mas Amedda^[3]

TheVice Chair, known as theVice Chairman and also known as theVice Chancellor,Vice chair of the Senate, or as theSenate Speaker, was thepresiding officer in theGalactic Senate of theGalactic Republic with the purpose in maintaining procedures and protocol in thechamber and maintaining order among itssenators as speaker.

Mas Amedda served as vice chair during the twilightyears of the Republic, first underSupreme Chancellor Finis Valorum and then his successor,Sheev Palpatine ofNaboo. In the aftermath of theClone Wars, Amedda became theGrand Vizier of theGalactic 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 abureaucratic position affiliated with both theGalactic Senate and theOffice of the Chancellor,^[2] the legislative and executive branches of theGalactic Republic, respectively. As speaker of the Senate, the vice chair was tasked with maintaining order amongthe galaxy'ssenators. During the Republic's finalyears, the Senate was made to follow protocol and procedures to the letter, under the stewardship of Vice ChairMas Amedda. Although theChagrian 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 ChancellorLina Soh's administration,Larep Reza served as her Vice Chancellor. Attending the ill-fatedRepublic Fair, Reza was the presumed successor to Soh when her term came to a close.^[8]

In32 BBY,^[1]Queen Padmé Amidala petitioned the Galactic Senate to support herhome planet ofNaboo, which had beeninvaded and occupied by theTrade Federation Droid Army. When delegates from theTrade Federation andMalastare insisted that the Senate form a committee to inspect the validity of the youngmonarch's accusations, Vice Chair Mas Amedda counseledSupreme Chancellor Finis Valorum to concede to their demands. Unwilling to leavethe 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 thesenator of Naboo.^[9] He would continue to serve in chancellery throughout the remaining years of the Republic, which became engulfed by theSeparatist Crisis and theClone Wars that followed.^[3] The vice chair was also one of the few individuals who knew that Palpatine was aSith 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 thefall of theJedi, Vice Chair Amedda stood at Palpatine's side as the self-anointedGalactic Emperor announced the formation of theFirst Galactic Empire.^[10] Amedda would remain a member of the Emperor's inner circle, serving as one of Palpatine's closestaides andadvisors under the new title ofGrand Vizier.^[2]

List of Vice Chairs[]

Period	Vice Chancellor
By231 BBY^[11]–	Larep Reza^[8]
By32 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]