An acting president is a person who performs the duties of the president in the absence of a legitimate president. Acting president is a term that can be used in both the public and private sectors. Acting presidents are usually sanctioned figures, not usurpers, and their main job is to keep the peace during times of unrest. Their assignment can last anywhere from a few hours to months or even years, but it is generally assumed that their primary responsibility is to maintain normalcy during or after a transition.
In the public sector, the position of acting president is usually filled by someone who is appointed by law. An acting president may be appointed if an elected president is unable to fulfill his or her duties for an extended period of time. Acting presidents typically have full presidential powers and privileges. In times of crisis, they must be able to make decisions for their countries.
In the United States, the acting president is usually filled by the current vice president. If a president of the United States is unable to fulfill the duties of the office, he or she must notify Congress in writing so that the vice president can be named acting president, according to the 25th Amendment, which established presidential succession. The president can revoke that designation whenever he or she is ready to resume his or her duties as president, according to the law. The Amendment also allows Congress to declare the President unfit to carry out his duties and appoint the Vice President in his place by a majority vote.
Many other countries have laws similar to the United States’, and acting presidents have taken charge of government affairs in countries all over the world when necessary. As was the case with US Vice President Dick Cheney, an acting president may be named solely to govern in the president’s absence during a routine surgical procedure. Acting presidents take power when a sitting president is killed, as was the case after the death of Polish president Lech Kaczynski, or when a sitting president is pushed out of power, as was the case with Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
After a president resigns or is fired in the private sector, an acting president may be named to lead the company. Typically, the position is filled by someone who has worked for the company for a long time and is well-versed in its operations. She or he could be a candidate for the formal position of president of the company, or he could simply be filling in until the board of directors finds a suitable replacement.