This includes heads of states who: • Are chief executives with the political mandate to undertake discretionary decision-making, including command of the armed forces. • Mostly ceremonial heads of state (constitutional monarchs, viceroys and presidents in parliamentary republics) with residual substantive reserve powers over the armed forces, acting under normal circumstances on the constitutional advice of chief executives with the political mandate to undertake discretionary decision-making.
Albania According to the
Constitution of Albania, the
president of the Republic of Albania is the commander-in-chief of
Albanian Armed Forces.
Argentina presiding over an
Argentine Air Force ceremony for the
Falklands War in May 1997. Under part II, chapter III, article 99, subsections 12, 13, 14 and 15, the
Constitution of Argentina states that the
president of the Argentine Nation is the "Commander-in-chief of
all the armed forces of the Nation". It also states that the president is entitled to provide military posts in the granting of the jobs or grades of senior officers of the armed forces, and by itself on the battlefield; runs with its organization and distribution according to needs of the Nation and declares war and orders reprisals with the consent and approval of the
Argentine National Congress. The
Ministry of Defense is the government department that assists and serves the president in the management of the armed forces (
Army,
Navy and
Air Force).
Australia The Lord Gowrie (right) signing the
declaration of war against
Japan with
Prime Minister John Curtin (left) looking on. (8 December 1941) Under chapter II of section 68 titled
Command of the naval and military forces, the
Constitution of Australia states that: In practice, however, the governor-general does not play an active part in the
Australian Defence Force's command structure, and the
democratically accountable Australian Cabinet (chaired by the
prime minister)
de facto controls the ADF. The
minister for defence and several subordinate ministers exercise this control through the
Australian Defence Organisation. Section 8 of the
Defence Act 1903 states:
Austria Article 80 of the
Constitution of Austria stipulates that the
president of Austria is the commander-in-chief of the
Austrian Armed Forces. The same article designates the minister of defence as being in command of the army.
Barbados According to the
Constitution of Barbados, the
president of Barbados is the commander-in-chief of
Barbados Defense Force. Between 1966 and 2021, prior to the transition to a republican system, the
monarch of Barbados,
Queen Elizabeth II, was head of the Defense Force, with the
governor-general of Barbados as her viceroy. The president adopted these powers.
Bangladesh First President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the supreme commander of all the armed forces of the republic. In absence of him, then vice president Syed Nazrul Islam was acting president and acting supreme commander of all the armed forces of the republic. The commander-in-chief of
Bangladesh Armed Forces is the
president, although executive power and responsibility for national defense resides with the
prime minister. This is discharged through the
Ministry of Defence, headed by the minister of defence, which provides the policy framework and resources to the Armed Forces to discharge their responsibilities in the context of the defence of the country. The first commander-in-chief, General
M. A. G. Osmani, during
Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, who was commander of Muktibahini/
Bangladesh Forces, reinstated to active duty by official BD government order, which after independence was gazetted in 1972. He retired on 7 April 1972 and relinquished all authority and duties to the president of Bangladesh.
Belarus wearing the official uniform of the commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Belarus. The
president of Belarus is the commander-in-chief of the
Belarusian Armed Forces (). The Belarusian commander in chief has an official uniform and insignia befitting of the rank, which the president wears on official occasion and ceremonies in relation to the military. The role of commander in chief is laid out in Article 28 of the
Constitution of Belarus, which states that he/she has the authority to "appoint and dismiss the high command of the Armed Forces".
Belgium Article 167 of the
Constitution of Belgium designates the
king as the commander-in-chief. In practice, the
chief of defence is the head and commander of the
Belgian Armed Forces. He reports directly to the
minister of defence and is responsible for advising the minister, for the implementation of defence policy and for the administration of the department.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (right) meeting with US president
Bill Clinton (left) in 1997 in
Tuzla. According to the
Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the collective
presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In peace, the commander-in-chief exercises his command through the
minister of defence. In war and in cases where the minister of defence is not fulfilling orders, the commander-in-chief exercises his command directly through the
chief of Joint Staff.
Brazil Article 142 of the
Brazilian Constitution of 1988 states that the
Brazilian Armed Forces is under the supreme command of the
president of the Republic.
Brunei The
sultan of Brunei is the commander-in-chief of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces.
Canada inspects a
Royal Canadian Navy guard of honour during the
1939 royal tour of Canada. The powers of command-in-chief over the
Canadian Armed Forces are vested in the
Canadian monarch, and are delegated to the
governor general of Canada, who also uses the title
Commander-in-Chief. In this capacity, the governor general is entitled to the uniform of a general/flag officer, with the crest of the office and special cuff braid serving as rank insignia. By constitutional convention, the Crown's prerogative powers over the armed forces and constitutional powers as commander-in-chief are exercised on the advice of the
prime minister and the rest of
Cabinet, the governing ministry that commands the confidence of the
House of Commons. According to the
National Defence Act, the
minister of national defence is responsible and accountable to the
Parliament of Canada for all matters related to national defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.
China Croatia According to the
Croatian constitution, the
president of Croatia is the commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. There was originally a rank insignia and name for the position, known as "Vrhovnik". This was held by former President
Franjo Tudjman and was abolished after his death. In peace, the commander-in-chief exercises his command through the minister of defence. In war and in cases where the
minister of defence is not fulfilling orders, the commander-in-chief exercises his command directly through the chief of
General Staff.
Czechia According to the
1992 constitution, the
president of the Czech Republic is the commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces according to Article 63(1)(c), and appoints and promotes generals under Article 63(1)(f). The president needs the
countersignature of the
prime minister for decisions concerning the above-mentioned provisions as per Articles 63(3–4), or otherwise, they are not valid. The prime minister may delegate to other ministers the right to countersign these decisions of the president. The political responsibility for the Armed Forces is borne by the
Government, which in Article 67 is defined as the "supreme body of executive power". According to Articles 39 & 43, the
Parliament must give consent to the dispatch of Czech military forces outside the territory of the Czech Republic. The
Ministry of Defence is the central authority of the state administration for the control of the Armed Forces. The actual day-to-day management is vested in the chief of the general staff, the Czech
chief of defence equivalent.
Denmark on board his flagship during the 1644
Battle of Colberger Heide, by
Wilhelm Marstrand. The king's personal commitment during the battle, are memorialized in first lines of the
Danish royal anthem. The position of the
Danish monarch as the head of the military is deeply rooted in tradition. While the
1953 constitution does not explicitly designate the monarch as commander-in-chief; it is implicit, given the general provision in article 12 and the more specific wording of article 19 (2): "Except for purposes of defence against an armed attack upon the Realm or Danish forces, the King shall not use military force against any foreign state without the consent of the
Folketing. Any measure which the King may take in pursuance of this provision shall forthwith be submitted to the Folketing". However, when reading the Danish Constitution, it is important to bear in mind that the k
ing in this context is understood by Danish jurists to be read as the
government (consisting of the
prime minister and other ministers). This is a logical consequence of articles 12, 13 and 14, all of which in essence stipulates that the powers vested in the monarch can only be exercised through ministers, who are responsible for all acts. Thus, the Government, in effect, holds the supreme command authority implied in articles 12 and 19(2). The Danish Defence Law () designates in article 9 the
minister of defence as the supreme authority in
Defence (). Under the minister is the
chief of defence, the senior-ranking professional military officer heading the
Defence Command, who commands the
Army, the
Navy, the
Air Force and other units not reporting directly to the
Ministry of Defence.
Dominican Republic According to the
Constitution, Article 128, Section II, Title IV, the
president is the head of foreign policy, the civil administration and the commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces, the
National Police and all other state's security agencies.
Egypt In
Egypt, the
president of the Republic holds the ceremonial title of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. A member of the government, usually defence minister, is commander-in-chief of the
Egyptian Armed Forces. The president is the only individual capable of declaring war. With the exception of
Mohamed Morsi, who briefly served as president from 2012 to 2013, all Egyptian presidents have been former military officers. During the
Yom Kippur War, the president played a major role at all levels of the planning of the war, and was, in a literal sense, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, giving direct orders to the commanders from the headquarters during the war as
field marshal of the
army,
marshal of the air force and air defence forces and admiral of the
navy.
Eswatini The
king of Eswatini is the commander in chief of the
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force.
Finland , the
Marshal of Finland, as the commander-in-chief in 1941 during the
Continuation War According to the
Finnish constitution, the
president of Finland is the commander-in-chief of all
Finnish military forces. In practice, the everyday command and control is in the hands of the
chief of defence and the commander of the
Finnish Border Guard. The economic administration of the
Finnish Defence Force is the responsibility of
Ministry of Defence. The duty of the president is to decide upon • main principles of the military defence of the realm • principles of the execution of the military defence • other military command matters with wide-ranging importance to the military activity or the military establishment • any other military command issue that he wishes to decide upon Since the constitutional reform of 2000, the
minister of defence has the right to be present when the president uses his command powers, unless the matter is of immediate concern. In questions of strategic importance, the
prime minister has the same right. The president has, in a state of emergency, the right to transfer the position of the commander-in-chief to another Finnish citizen.
France In
France, the
president of the Republic is designated as "
Chef des Armées" (literally "Chief of the Armies") under article 15 of the
Constitution; the officeholder is as such the supreme executive authority in military affairs. Article 16 provides the president with extensive
emergency powers. However, owing to the nature of the
semi-presidential system, the
prime minister also has key constitutional powers under article 21: "He shall be responsible for national defence" and has "power to make regulations and shall make appointments to civil and military posts". the
president of the Republic, in accordance to Article 53 of the
Constitution of India. The president exercises supreme command with accordance to the law. As commander in chief, the president has the power to declare war however they must subject to the approval of the
Parliament of India. The commander in chief also appoints the chiefs of each branch of the armed forces as well as the
Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee with the advice of the
Minister of Defence. Whilst the constitution names the president as the
de jure commander in chief, executive command authority is exercised
de facto by the prime minister and their
Union Council of Ministers. On 15 August 1947, each service was placed under its own commander-in-chief. In 1955, the three service chiefs were re-designated as the
chief of the Army staff (rank of
general), the
chief of the naval staff (rank of
vice admiral) and the
chief of the air staff (rank of
air marshal) with the president as the supreme commander. The chief of the air staff was raised to the rank of
air chief marshal in 1965 and the chief of the naval staff raised to the rank of
admiral in 1968. Starting from 1 January 2020, all the three chiefs of staff report to the newly formed
chief of defence staff.
Indonesia According to article 10 of the
Constitution of Indonesia, the
president of Indonesia holds the supreme command of the
Indonesian National Armed Forces. Day-to-day operations of the Armed Forces is handled by the
commander of the Armed Forces (), a 4-star officer whom can be a general (
Army or
Marine), an admiral (
Navy), or an air chief marshal (
Air Force). The commander of the Armed Forces is appointed by the president from active chiefs of staff (
Army,
Navy, or
Air Force) and must get approval from the
House of Representatives. The chief of staff is also appointed by the president from senior military officers. The president as commander-in-chief also has authority in senior military officer mutation and promotion in tour of duty. The
minister of defense has responsibility to assist the president in defense issues and create policies about authorization use of military force, manage defense budget, etc. According to article 11 of the Constitution, for authorization use of military forces or declaration of war, the president must get approval from House of Representatives. The commander of the Armed Forces gives recommendations to the minister of defense in creating national defense policies.
Iran Before 1979, the
shah was the commander-in-chief in Iran. After the inception of the Islamic Republic, the
president of Iran was initially appointed that task, with
Abolhassan Bani Sadr being the first commander-in-chief. However, Abolhassan Bani Sadr was impeached on 22 June 1981. It was after this event that the role of commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran was given to the
Supreme Leader of Iran.
Ireland The supreme commander of the
Defence Forces is the
president of Ireland, but in practice the
minister for defence acts on the president's behalf and reports to the
Government of Ireland. The minister for defence is advised by the Council of Defence on the business of the
Department of Defence. The Defence Forces are organised under the chief of staff, a
three star officer, and are organised into three service branches, the
Army,
Naval Service, and
Air Corps.
Italy The
Constitution of Italy, in article 87, states that the
president of the Republic: "is the commander of the
armed forces and chairman of the supreme defense council constituted by law, although effective executive power and responsibility for national defence resides with the government headed by the
President of the Council of Ministers; the president declares war according to the decision of the
parliament".
Kenya Chapter 131 of the
Constitution of Kenya identifies the
president as the commander-in-chief of the
Kenya Defence Forces and the chairperson of the National Security Council. There is a rank for the position. The president appoints a
chief of general staff, known as the
Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, who acts as the principal military adviser to the president and the National Security Council. The Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces is drawn from one of the branches of the Armed Forces, the
Kenya Army, the
Kenya Navy or the
Kenya Air Force.
Latvia In accordance with Article 42 of the
Constitution of Latvia, the
president of Latvia is Commander-in-Chief of the
Latvian National Armed Forces. The president may appoint a chief military commander in times of war.
Malaysia In accordance with Article 41 of the
Federal Constitution of Malaysia, the
King of Malaysia is
Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces and holds the rank of
Field Marshal and
Admiral of the Fleet. As such, he is the highest-ranking officer in the military establishment, with the power to appoint the Chief of Staff (on the advice of the
Armed Forces Council). He also appoints the service heads of each of the three branches of the military. The Federal Constitution establishes that the office of Supreme Commander is attached to the person of the King of Malaysia as the Federation's head of state: • Federal Constitution, Article 41 - The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) shall be the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Federation. The Federal Parliament passed the Federal Armed Forces Act to consolidate in one law all regulations that govern the three services ( Army, Navy, and Air Force ). It establishes the function and duties of the Federal Head of State in the capacity as Supreme Commander.
Mexico Section VI of Article 89 of the
Constitution states that the
president of the United Mexican States shall "Preserve national security, in accordance with the respective law, and dispose of the full
permanent Armed Force, that is to say the
Army, the
Navy and the
Air Force, for the interior security and exterior defense of the Federation". Both the Organic Law of the Mexican Army and Air Force and the Organic Law of the Mexican Navy clearly state the president of the Republic is "Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces". The President is
ex officio the only five-star general of Mexico. The Constitution also grants the president freedom to appoint and remove the
secretary of the Navy and the
secretary of national defense.
New Zealand Both the
Monarch of New Zealand and their representative, the
governor-general, constitutionally serve as the supreme authority in defence matters in New Zealand. The position of commander-in-chief is vested in the sovereign by the constitution. In practice however, the position of the commander-in-chief is largely ceremonial, with the governor-general primarily serving as a "patron of the New Zealand Defence Force". The governor-general exercises their authority as commander-in-chief on the advice of the minister of defence or other ministers of the
New Zealand Government. The
Letter Patents 1983 consolidated the roles of governor-general and commander-in-chief into one office, with its compounded title being the
Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief. The governor-general's is statutorily defined in the
Defence Act 1990. Sections five and six of the
Defence Act 1990 outlines the governor-general's authority to raise and maintain armed forces. The head of army term was replaced to "
Chief of Army Staff" on 20 March 1972 during military reforms The chief of staff is a four-star officer whose term is 3 years, but can be extended or renewed once. After 1973 constitution The chief of Army/Air/Naval staff is chosen by the
prime minister of Pakistan and appointed by the
president of Pakistan as commander in chief of
Pakistan Armed Forces. So, the
president of Pakistan is the commander-in-chief.
Philippines The
president of the Philippines is both
head of state and
head of government, and is mandated by Article VII, Section 18 of the
1987 Constitution to be commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces.
Poland The
president of Poland is the supreme commander () of the
Polish Armed Forces according to the
Constitution and in times of peace exercises their authority through
Minister of National Defence. However, the art. 134 ust. 4 of the constitution states: During the
interbellum period, the
General Inspector of the Armed Forces was appointed the commander-in-chief for the time of war (Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces). However, after the war this function ceased to exist—thus it is likely that if Poland formally participates in a war, the
chief of the general staff of the Polish Armed Forces will be appointed supreme commander.
Portugal The
president of the Portuguese Republic is the constitutional supreme commander of the
Armed Forces (in
Portuguese:
Comandante Supremo das Forças Armadas). However, the operational command is delegated in the
chief of the general staff of the Armed Forces. In the Portuguese military parlance, the term "Commander-in-Chief" (in Portuguese:
comandante-em-chefe or simply
comandante-chefe) refers to the unified military commander of all the land, naval and air forces in a theater of operations.
Russia '' (i.e. the nuclear briefcase) from
Dmitry Medvedev's military aide to
Vladimir Putin's military aide during the
2012 presidential inauguration. According to the
Constitution of the Russian Federation, (Chapter 4, Article 87, Section 1) the
president is the
Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces. The president approves the
military doctrine and appoints the
defense minister and the
chief and other members of the
general staff. The
Russian Armed Forces is divided into three services: the
Russian Ground Forces, the
Russian Navy, and the
Russian Aerospace Forces. In addition there are two independent
arms of service:
Strategic Missile Troops, and the
Russian Airborne Forces. The Air Defence Troops, the former
Soviet Air Defence Forces, have been subordinated into the Air Force since 1998.
Rwanda According to the
Constitution of Rwanda, the
president of Rwanda is the commander-in-chief of
Rwanda Defence Forces.
Saudi Arabia Article 60 of the
Basic Law of Saudi Arabia states: "The
King is the commander-in-chief of all the
Military Forces. He appoints officers and puts an end to their duties in accordance with the law." Article 61 further states: "The King declares a state of emergency, general mobilization and war, and the law defines the rules for this." Lastly, Article 62 states: "If there is a danger threatening the safety of the Kingdom or its territorial integrity, or the security of its people and its interests, or which impedes the functioning of the state institutions, the King may take urgent measures in order to deal with this danger And if the King considers that these measures should continue, he may then implement the necessary regulations to this end."
Serbia In accordance with the law, the
president of Serbia is the commander-in-chief of Armed Forces and in command of the military. He appoints, promotes and recalls officers of the
Armed Forces of Serbia.
Slovenia In Slovenia, the commander-in-chief is formally the
president of Slovenia. In peacetime, the role of commander in chief is usually assumed by the minister of defence.
South Africa Chapter 11, section 202(1) of the
Constitution of South Africa states that the
president of South Africa is the commander-in-chief of the
South African National Defence Force. The constitution places conditions on when and how that power may be employed and requires regular reports to the
Parliament of South Africa.
South Korea In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, the commander-in-chief and the supreme authority on all military matters is the
president of South Korea.
Spain in uniform of
Captain General of the Navy at the
Naval NCO Academy in 2014. As with most remaining European monarchies, the position of the Spanish monarch as the nominal head of the armed forces is deeply rooted in tradition. The
Spanish Constitution of 1978 authorizes the
king in article 62 (h): The king regularly chairs sessions of the National Security Council, the Joint Chiefs of staff and the individual general staffs of each branch of the Armed Forces in his capacity as supreme commander. All promotions to military rank and positions in the high command of the armed forces are made by Royal decree signed by the king and the minister of defense However, article 64 require that all official acts of the king must be
countersigned, by the
president of the Government or other
competent minister, for them to become valid. This counter/signature is used to limit a possible abuse of power by any single individual. This constitutional provision can and has been made the subject of an exception in crisis situations. In 1981 the king as supreme commander of the armed forces assumed direct command in order to put down a
military coup attempt. All members of the government were at that time trapped/held hostage in Parliament and were unable to counter sign the kings orders. This did not however result in those orders being ruled unenforceable or unconstitutional. The coup collapsed after the king ordered all army units to leave the streets and return to their barracks. Furthermore, article 97 stipulates that; No provision in the constitution requires the king/government to seek approval from the
Cortes Generales before sending the armed forces abroad. Since 1984, the
chief of the defence staff is the professional head of the armed forces and, under the authority of the
minister of defence, is responsible for military operations and military organisation.
Sri Lanka As head of state, the
president of Sri Lanka, is nominally the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The
National Security Council, chaired by the president is the authority charged with formulating and executing defence policy for the nation. The highest level of military headquarters is the
Ministry of Defence, since 1978 except for a few rare occasions the president retained the portfolio defence, thus being the minister of defence. The ministry and the armed forces have been controlled by the during these periods by either a
minister of state,
deputy minister for defence, and of recently the
permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence. Prior to 1978 the
prime minister held the portfolio of minister of defence and external affairs, and was supported by a
parliamentary secretary for defence and external affairs. Responsibility for the management of the forces is Ministry of Defence, while the planning and execution of
combined operations is the responsibility of the Joint Operations Command (JOC). The JOC is headed by the
chief of the defence staff who is the most senior officer in the Armed Forces and is an appointment that can be held by an
air chief marshal,
admiral, or
general. The three services have their own respective professional chiefs: the
commander of the Army, the
commander of the Navy and the
commander of the Air Force, who have much autonomy.
Suriname In
Suriname, the constitution gives the
president "supreme authority over the armed forces and all of its members".
Syria In
Syria, Article 32 of the
constitutional declaration states that the
president is the “Supreme Commander of the
Army and
Armed Forces” and is responsible for managing the country’s affairs, preserving its territorial integrity and security, and protecting the interests of the people.
Taiwan As stipulated in the
Constitution of the Republic of China, the
president is also the commander-in-chief of the
ROC Armed Forces.
Thailand The "head of the Thai Armed Forces" (; ) is a position vested in the
Thai monarch, who as sovereign and head of state is the commander-in-chief of the
Royal Thai Armed Forces.
Mustafa Kemal Pasha (center), the president of Turkey with other generals of the
Turkish Armed Forces in 1925.|220x220px
Turkey The
president of Turkey has the constitutional right to represent the Supreme Military Command of the
Turkish Armed Forces, on behalf of the
Grand National Assembly of Turkey, and to decide on the mobilization of the Turkish Armed Forces, to appoint the chief of the general staff, to call the
National Security Council to meet, to preside over the National Security Council, to proclaim martial law or state of emergency, and to issue decrees having the force of law, upon a decision of the Council of Ministers meeting under his/her chairmanship. With all these issues above written in the
Constitution of Turkey, the executive rights are given to the president of the Republic of Turkey to be represented as the commander-in-chief of the nation.
Ukraine The
President of Ukraine is the empowered by Article 106, paragraph 17 of the Ukrainian Constitution, the president has the ability to submit a declaration of war to the parliament and issue commands to the army and military formations. the title of
commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is held by the highest-ranking military officer (i.e. the
chief of defence) this position is subordinate to that of the president.
United Kingdom The
British monarch is the "
Head of the British Armed Forces" and has also been described as "Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces" and by law and convention is the Supreme Commanding Authority of the British Armed Forces, in practicality the monarch acts on the advice of the
Prime Minister and
Secretary of State for Defence, who make the decisions on the use of the armed forces, with routine administration of the armed forces is delegated to the
Defence Council which is chaired by the
Secretary of State for Defence. The King, however, remains the focal point of "ultimate authority" of the military, with officers and personnel swearing
allegiance only to the monarch, and commissions to officers being issued by the monarch amongst other functions. The term is also sometimes used for the military commander-in-chief of a
command (a region of military authority, sometimes combined with the civil office of
Governor of a colony (now called a
British Overseas Territory)), and for the naval commander-in-chief of a
station of the Royal Navy, such as the
North America and West Indies Station.
United States According to
Article II, Section 2, Clause I of the Constitution, the
president of the United States is "Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the
militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States." There have been 45 people who served as the
president of the United States, but there have been 47
commanders-in-chief of the United States due to the fact that
Dick Cheney and
Kamala Harris each temporarily held the position of
acting president under the
Twenty-fifth Amendment. (
George H. W. Bush was also temporarily acting president but later was elected president.) Since the
National Security Act of 1947, the commander-in-chief provision has been understood to mean all
United States Armed Forces. U.S. ranks have their roots in British military traditions, with the president possessing ultimate authority, but no rank, maintaining a civilian status. The exact degree of authority that the Constitution grants to the president as commander-in-chief has been the subject of much debate throughout history, with Congress at various times granting the president wide authority and at others attempting to restrict that authority.
U.S. States In U.S. States, the
governor also serves as the commander-in-chief of the
National Guard,
State Militia, and
State Defense Forces. In the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, for example,
KRS 37.180 states: Similarly, Section 140 of Article 2 of the California Military and Veterans Code states:
Uzbekistan The
Uzbek president holds the constitutional position of Supreme Commander of the
Armed Forces of Uzbekistan, according to the
Constitution of Uzbekistan. In this capacity, the president give decisions on declaring war or martial law, the appointment of senior officials, and the development of the armed forces. In the event of an attack on the republic, the president announce a state of war and will submit within 72 hours a resolution for a plan of action to the
Oliy Majlis. When the country is in a wartime situation, the
minister of defense will serve in an official capacity as the deputy supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces, essentially assisting the president in his day-to-day activities and decisions regarding national security.
Venezuela , the president of Venezuela, dressed in military uniform in August 2006. According to the Venezuelan constitution, the president is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The office of the Venezuelan military supreme commander in chief has always been held by the president of Venezuela as per constitutional requirements. However, with a new law sanctioned in 2008, the "comandante en jefe" rank is not only a function attributed to the executive branch but a full military rank given to the president upon taking office. Upon assumption he or she receives a saber, epaulette, shoulder knot, shoulder board and sleeve insignia and full military uniform to be used in military events while performing the duties as president. The shoulder insignia mirrors Cuban practice but is derived from the German-styled officer rank insignia.
Vietnam The
de jure commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the
president of Vietnam, through his post as chairman of
National Defense and Security Council. Though this position is nominal and real power is assumed by the
Central Military Commission of the
Communist Party of Vietnam. The
Secretary of Central Military Commission (
general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam ex officio) is the
de facto commander-in-chief. The
minister of Defence oversees operations of the Ministry of Defence, and the
Vietnam People's Army. He also oversees such agencies as the
General Staff and the General Logistics Department. However, military policy is ultimately directed by the Central Military Commission of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam. ==Other officeholders as commanders-in-chief or other situations==