User:CROIX/Leader of the Opposition (Antigua and Barbuda)

The Leader of the Opposition, officially the Leader of His Majesty's Opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda that is not in government. The Leader of the Opposition is appointed by the Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda.

Appointment and disqualification
The Governor-General must select the Leader of the Opposition, except when there are no members of the House who do not support the Government. When the need for a Leader of the Opposition arises, the Governor-General must appoint the member of the House who, in their opinion, is most likely to be supported by the majority of House members who oppose the government; or, if no member of the House appears to them to be so supported, the member of the House who, in their opinion, is most likely to be supported by the largest single group of House members who oppose the government provided that the Governor-General may, acting in his discretion, appoint any one of the two or more members of the House who oppose the government as Leader of the Opposition. In exercising this discretion, the Governor-General shall be guided by each member's seniority based on the number of years he or she has served as a member of the House and by the votes cast in favor of each at the most recent election of members.

If the need to designate a Leader of the Opposition occurs between the time that Parliament is dissolved and the day that the members of the House are subsequently elected, the appointment may be made as if Parliament had not been dissolved. The Governor-General shall remove the Leader of the Opposition from office if it appears that the Leader of the Opposition is no longer able to command the support of the majority of members of the House who oppose the Government or the support of the largest single group of members of the House who oppose the Government.

Role
The Leader of the Opposition has the following constitutionally mandated responsibilities:


 * The Governor-General, acting on the counsel of the Leader of the Opposition, shall appoint four senators.
 * The Governor-General, acting in line with the Prime Minister's advice and following consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, shall select the Chairman of the Constituencies Boundaries Commission.
 * The Governor-General, in agreement with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, appoints no more than four additional members of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
 * As long as the Prime Minister consults the Opposition Leader before giving the Governor-General any advise about the Public Service Commission.
 * Before providing any advise to the Governor-General about the Public Service Commission, the Police Service Commission, and the Public Service Board of Appeal the Prime Minister shall first consult the leader of the opposition.