Protocol order of precedence

A protocol-based ranking (also precedence or precedence ) is a list that arranges different persons - mainly the holders of high state offices - according to their nominal importance.

In every state and also in diplomatic protocol there is an official or unofficial protocol ranking. Nowadays it is mainly used for ceremonial purposes - e.g. B. who is to be addressed first during speeches or who is seated in which position at state banquets .

The protocol ranking does not necessarily correspond to the actual political significance of the offices or persons listed on it. As a rule, it has no independent political significance.

In monarchies , the precedent is usually regulated very precisely by the court and each office is published in a court ranking list in the court calendar (see also court ranking ); Republics , on the other hand, treat protocol primacy much more flexibly.

Diplomatic protocol

The diplomacy knows z. B. the following precedents:

• A head of state ranks before a head of government , who in turn ranks before a minister . Furthermore, the following applies: A foreign guest ranks ahead of his domestic counterpart, with the exception of the head of state of the host country.

• The principle of anciency can be applied among peers - that is, the senior citizen has priority. If several people have the same age of office, their order is based on natural age ( principle of seniority ).

• In many states, the apostolic nuncio , the papal ambassador, is considered the doyen , i.e. the highest-ranking diplomat.

The hierarchy among diplomats is laid down in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961.

Individual states

Germany

In Germany there is no binding, protocol-based ranking. It is only recognized that the Federal President, as head of state, is the highest-ranking representative of the state in terms of protocol. However, state practice results in an unofficial ranking:

1. Federal President
2. President of the Bundestag (representative of the legislature )
3. Federal Chancellor (representative of the executive )
4. President of the Federal Council (official deputy of the Federal President , representative of the federal states )
5. President of the Federal Constitutional Court (representative of the judiciary )

Further questions of rank will be taken into account in individual cases as part of the placement.

Austria

→ Main article : Protocol order of precedence in Austria

The Federal President as head of state leads the Austrian protocol-based ranking. After him rank the Catholic cardinal in Austria, the Federal Chancellor and the President of the National Council .

Switzerland

→ Main article : Protocol-based ranking in Switzerland

Although the President of the National Council is often referred to as the “highest Swiss” in Switzerland , in the official ranking he follows the Federal President and the other members of the Swiss government college.

European Union

1. President of the European Parliament
2. President of the European Council
3. President of the Council of the European Union
4. President of the European Commission
5. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy
6. President of the European Court of Justice
7. President of the European Central Bank
8. President of the European Court of Auditors

France

→ Main article : Protocol order of precedence in France

At the head of protocol in France is the President of the Republic , followed by the Prime Minister and the President of the Senate .

Italy

→ Main article : Protocol order of precedence in Italy

In Italy, the President of the Republic (Presidente della Republica) leads the protocol order of precedence. He is followed by the President of the Senate (Presidente del Senato), the President of the House of Representatives (Presidente della Camera), the Prime Minister (Presidente del Consiglio) and finally the President of the Constitutional Court (Presidente della Corte Costituzionale).

Canada

→ Main article : Protocol order of precedence in Canada

As in all Commonwealth Realms , at the top of the Canadian hierarchy is Elizabeth II , here in her role as Queen of Canada . After her rank the governor general and the prime minister of Canada.

Poland

In Poland the ranking is derived from the constitution . According to this, the President of the Republic of Poland , who is defined as head of state in the constitution, takes first place, followed by the Presidents of the Chamber of Parliament, Sejm Marshal and Senate Marshal, who represent him if he is prevented from attending . The fourth position is taken by the President of the Council of Ministers .

United Kingdom

→ Main article : Protocol order of precedence in the United Kingdom

The individual parts of the United Kingdom - England and Wales , Scotland , Northern Ireland - each have their own protocol-based ranking. The upper echelons are reserved for Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family.

United States

→ Main article : Protocol hierarchy in the United States

The President of the United States as head of state and head of government leads the protocol hierarchy in the USA together with the First Lady , followed by the Vice President with wife and the Speaker of the House of Representatives .

People's Republic of China

→ Main article : Protocol order of precedence in the People's Republic of China

At the top of the protocol-based hierarchy of the People's Republic of China are the members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China , in turn led by Xi Jinping .

literature

• Emmanuel Coppieters: Protocol / Protocole. Editions UGA, Kortrijk, 1989.
• David Dreimann: The diplomatic protocol. Tasks, means, working methods and methods. Verlag Koehler & Amelang, Leipzig, 3rd edition, 1985.
• Jürgen Hartmann: State ceremony. 3rd edition, Carl Heymanns Verlag, Cologne 2000, ISBN 3-452-24485-7 (4th edition 2007; standard work for Germany).
• Olaf Jelinski: The international diplomatic protocol compared to the protocol in companies. An analysis of the protocol as a political institution. Dissertation, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, November 2014, p. 15 ( pdf, via d-nb.info , especially Germany, overview of research status p. 14 f.).
• Mary Jane McCaffree, Pauline Innes: Protocol: The Complete Handbook of Diplomatic, Official and Social Usage. Publisher Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1977 (25th Anniversary Edition, Durban House Press, Dallas, Texas, 2002; especially for the USA).
• Karl Urschitz: Protocol with ceremonial and etiquette. (= Publications of the Styrian State Library 28). Manumedia-Verlag Schnider, Graz 2002, ISBN 978-3-902020-19-2 (Austria, especially Styria).
• John R. Wood, Jean Serres: Diplomatic Ceremonial and Protocol. Principles, Procedures & Practices. Macmillan, London 1970.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Lit. Jelinski 2014, Chapter 4 Protocol in the organizational structures of public organizations and institutions. Pp. 62-85.
2. ^ Protocol-based priority issues. bmi.bund.de , accessed on July 15, 2016 . 
3. ↑ Hans-Jürgen Schlamp: Protokollzoff in Brussels: EU bosses argue about first handshake with Obama. In: Spiegel Online . January 30, 2010, accessed April 17, 2020 . 
4. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from October 15, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.